Leon Goretzka and Guido Burgstaller both scored as Schalke 04 recorded back-to-back victories in a comfortable 2-0 win over a poor 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Goretzka opened the scoring early with a delightful chip above René Adler, with Burgstaller scoring a rebound goal after Adler saved a Naldo header in the second half.
Schalke move into the Bundesliga’s top four as a result, level on points with RB Leipzig and only three points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, although three teams could overtake them by the end of the weekend.
Class goal from Goretzka puts Royal Blues ahead
The hosts recovered from a dip in form before the international break with a 2-0 at Hertha BSC on Saturday, and Domenico Tedesco made no changes for this match. Despite Mainz beating Hamburger SV at the same time, Sandro Schwarz did make two alterations, with Leon Balogun and Yoshinori Muto brought in for Alexandru Maxim and Robin Quaison.
After a quiet start to the game Schalke took advantage of some non-existent defending from their visitors to take the lead. Free to move forward, Burgstaller picked out a clever ball to Goretzka, set free by Abdou Diallo, and he chipped his shot over Adler as the Mainz goalkeeper went to ground.
Schalke though slipped back into the tendency not to push forward after going ahead. Amine Harit was their most lively player after going ahead, and their best chance came through him, after a corner was headed out, however he struck it just wide.
Mainz were offering nothing in response, wasting their set piece opportunities and being forced into taking long-range efforts, which is just what Danny Latza did just before the break, but it was too far out to test Ralf Fährmann. There was clear discontent with their first half display, and Giulio Donati and Jean-Philippe Gbamin almost coming to blows in the tunnel as they headed back inside.
Burgstaller puts cap on comfortable victory
They finally recorded their first meaningful shot soon after the restart. The chance fell to Muto however he was blocked by the leg of Fährmann. That was, unfortunately for them, as good as it got.
Franco Di Santo, without a goal for Schalke since March 2016, had a chance to break that run after nabbing the ball off Leon Balogun, but could only shoot at Adler. Thilo Kehrer then had a great opportunity, heading on Bastian Oczipka’s free-kick and hitting the post. Burgstaller tried, and failed, to reach it to turn it in.
Oczipka then found Burgstaller in open play, but he again wasn’t able to turn it in. He did get a corner though, and he was the beneficiary. Naldo met it and his header was saved by Adler, with both Stefan Bell and Maxim then failing to clear. Burgstaller pounced to double Schalke’s lead with their eighth set piece goal of the season – the most in the Bundesliga.
Yevhen Konoplyanka, from the bench, could have made it three after snatching the ball from Bell, but could only put his effort wide. The game was all but safe though, with only Kenan Kodro able to produce anything close to a goal. It should have been one too from Muto’s cross, however he managed to head wide when placing it the other side of the post would have been just as easy. It would not have been the most deserved of consolations, though.