Narrow defeat in top match against Schalke
SV Elversberg showed good ball possession, commitment and patience in their away game at the VELTINS-Arena – but ultimately suffered an unlucky 1:0 defeat. Despite a courageous performance, this was not enough for Vincent Wagner’s team to collect a point against FC Schalke 04.
This was a very symbolic duel in many ways. On one side was longstanding club FC Schalke 04, who enjoyed the vocal support of 61,818 spectators this Saturday lunchtime with a new coach, lots of injured players, but a new self-image. On the other was SV Elversberg, who have been solid for weeks with firm tactics and bold play – but failed to get a single shot in their opponent’s goal, for the first time since they were promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. It was one of those matches where lack of reward did not mean lack of effort, where it all came down to tiny moments.
The starting point for the match was very promising. Vincent Wagner only made small changes following the 2:2 in their home game against Hannover. Maximilian Rohr returned after being suspended following a yellow card, whilst Younes Ebnoutalib replaced Luca Schnellbacher. The aim was clear: be bold, hold the line, and find a balance between risk and control. ‘We will be able to prove that we can play good football even with lots of spectators’, Wagner noted beforehand. Nevertheless, it was clear that the match in the VELTINS-Arena would be a challenge – not just due to the setting, but also because Schalke had gained a new level of defensive stability in recent weeks under Miron Muslic.
It only took four minutes for the Elversberg defence to be tested for the first time – and immediately overcome. SVE initially cleared the ball after a long throw-in by Mika Wallentowitz (just 17 years old), but it then took a series of deflections and returned to the penalty area. Moussa Sylla headed it on to Hasan Kurucay, lurking undefended in wait by the goal, who fired it in to the far corner from eleven metres out. This was the quick start that the home team were hoping for – and a shock for Elversberg. In Vincent Wagner’s view, the conceded goal arose from an incorrect decision: he felt that the throw-in was against the rules. He argued furiously from the touchline and had to be pacified by the linesman and four officials. Amara Condé also later confirmed: ‘I have nothing more to say about referees’ decisions against us, otherwise we’d be talking about it every week.’
Despite falling behind early on, Elversberg then sought to take control of the match – and did so for long periods of ball possession. The final statistics put this at 66 percent. However, what sounded like dominance was not reflected in effective play: the expected goal metric for the first half was just 0.05. ‘I’ve rarely seen anything like it – if ever’, Vincent Wagner said. ‘We had our chances, but our key passes in our opponent’s half were too careless. However, it is also about the other team. Schalke played really well today.’
In fact, Schalke put up an impressive collective defence. They allowed almost no gaps, played a compact five-man defensive formation and repeatedly forced Elversberg to pass backwards. Nevertheless, there were points that demonstrated the away team’s understanding of play. Ebnoutalib tested goalkeeper Loris Karius with a hefty header, but it narrowly missed. At the other end, Rohr prevented a potential 2:0 when Kurucay once again proved a threat. Schalke’s lead at half-time was well-deserved but narrow.
Things continued in a similar vein after the change of ends: Schalke defended deep, Elversberg sought solutions – and only found partial ones. Any they did find were on the wings, but their final precision was lacking. For the other team, Finn Porath’s volley was foiled by Nicolas Kristof, who deflected it neatly over the crossbar. The match only got moving again in the final stages, when Wagner brought on fresh blood. Younes Ebnoutalib scored after some lovely combination play – but the linesman raised the flag to signal offside. Shortly after, Otto Stange fired the ball over the line, but this time the referee ruled that there had been a foul in the run-up. Two goals, both disallowed, two moments that symbolised the course of the afternoon.
For me, this was the hardest match of the season so far. There was no getting past the five-man defence in the middle
Ebnoutalib said. This honest statement summarised the problem: Elversberg found routes into the end third, but not across the finish line. Lukas Petkov tried a long-distance shot, as did Malanga, with both missing by just a few metres. In stoppage time, positionless player Malanga nearly equalised with a turning shot – but the ball missed the post by centimetres. A minute later, Otto Stange was clearly fouled in the penalty area, but the whistle never sounded. This was in keeping with the game as a whole: lots of effort, lots of ball possession, no gain.
Vincent Wagner said at the press conference after the final whistle: ‘FC Schalke 04 worked hard for their win. I would also say that they ultimately deserved it. Before the match, it was clear to us that 65 percent ball possession would not be enough. We probably needed 70 percent, even if that sounds ambitious. But you have to do things particularly well here if you want any points. Schalke had an extremely well organised defence, as they have demonstrated in recent months. After dropping behind early on, they were incredibly difficult to play.’
The fact that Saarland remained in the match for so long against Schalke is down to their own structure, patient play, and tenacity – as well as to the cohesion the team has cemented in recent weeks. This was not a setback or a crisis, but just an afternoon where their opponents were quite simply better where it mattered. Schalke held the 1:0 scoreline through to the end, defending the result with discipline and passion.
The final statistics tell an unusual story: 66 percent ball possession but not a single shot in their opponent’s goal. Although a paradox, this does not call into question Elversberg’s style in recent weeks, as their system of play remained recognisable, their positioning clear and their processes intact. As Wagner indirectly put it:
Sometimes, just playing well is not enough when your opponent exploits their strengths so effectively.
Whilst this win put Schalke up to the top of the table until Sunday and marked their sixth clean-sheet win this season, Elversberg have remained in third place – and thus still at the top end of the second division. The home team’s manager, Miron Muslic, had the following to say about the win: ‘This is perhaps my proudest moment in the last five months. We are very happy with our performance and win today. Considering how many gaps we have had to deal with in recent days and weeks and all the players not available to us against Elversberg, I have to pay a huge compliment to my team.’
Schalke’s captain Ron Schallenberg also acknowledged the quality of the opposing team: ‘Despite many players missing, we worked very well collectively against a strong opponent and allowed the division’s strongest attacking lineup almost no opportunities, apart from one counterattack. That makes a statement.’
Elversberg, on the other hand, are left with the realisation that even a match without scoring a goal can mark a step forward – if the team keeps its composure, stability and clear structures. Although this now marks four official matches without a win, there was no hint of uncertainty in Gelsenkirchen. Elversberg delivered, fought, kept up the pace, and tried to equalise right through to the final seconds.
So ended an afternoon that, despite the narrow result, said more about this team’s development than it did about the final score. SVE were the team with greater ball possession, control and concept of play for significant stretches – but were still left empty-handed. This is a bitter pill, but not a setback.
Next up is the international break – a period to focus on recovery, analysis and fine tuning.
We would have liked to have come away with something tangible today, but the boys gave their all once again. Now we need to take a deep breath, recuperate and then go back on the attack in Karlsruhe
Wagner said in closing.
Things continue on Sunday 23 November with another away game, this time against Karlsruher SC. This represents another opportunity to demonstrate that boldness and ball control remain the cornerstones of Elversberg’s approach – even if they are not reflected in the result.