FC Schalke 04 made the perfect start to their Bundesliga campaign under new coach Domenico Tedesco, beating last season’s runners-up RB Leipzig 2-0 in Saturday’s late game. Nabil Bentaleb put the Royal Blues in front with his penalty shortly before the break, while Yevhen Konoplyanka wrapped up the victory in the 73rd minute.
It was Leipzig who enjoyed the majority of possession in the early stages, with Naby Keita a central figure as they coolly moved the ball around midfield. However, Confed Cup winner Timo Werner struggled to get into the game as European U21 Champion Thilo Kehrer and his fellow Schalke defenders kept things very tight at the back.
Bentaleb makes his mark
A Leon Goretzka header from a corner easily saved by Peter Gulácsi was the only chance of the opening half an hour or so, but the RBL keeper really had to be on his toes to tip Nabil Bentaleb’s long-range bullet over the top after 29 minutes. It looked like things would remain level at the break though, that was until Dayot Upamecano’s shove on Franco Di Santo in the box was penalised, and Bentaleb thundered home from twelve yards in the 44th minute.
RBL introduced top-assister Emil Forsberg for the second half and Leipzig’s game benefited from the change. Marcel Sabitzer stung the palms of new Schalke captain Ralf Fährmann, before Yussuf Poulsen had a goal ruled out for offside. Hopes of a comeback died in the 73rd minute though when good work from Amine Harit put Konoplyanka in one-on-one with Gulácsi, and the Ukrainian tucked away his third competitive goal of the campaign.
FC Schalke 04 made the perfect start to their Bundesliga campaign under new coach Domenico Tedesco, beating last season’s runners-up RB Leipzig 2-0 in Saturday’s late game. Nabil Bentaleb put the Royal Blues in front with his penalty shortly before the break, while Yevhen Konoplyanka wrapped up the victory in the 73rd minute.
It was Leipzig who enjoyed the majority of possession in the early stages, with Naby Keita a central figure as they coolly moved the ball around midfield. However, Confed Cup winner Timo Werner struggled to get into the game as European U21 Champion Thilo Kehrer and his fellow Schalke defenders kept things very tight at the back.
Bentaleb makes his mark
A Leon Goretzka header from a corner easily saved by Peter Gulácsi was the only chance of the opening half an hour or so, but the RBL keeper really had to be on his toes to tip Nabil Bentaleb’s long-range bullet over the top after 29 minutes. It looked like things would remain level at the break though, that was until Dayot Upamecano’s shove on Franco Di Santo in the box was penalised, and Bentaleb thundered home from twelve yards in the 44th minute.
RBL introduced top-assister Emil Forsberg for the second half and Leipzig’s game benefited from the change. Marcel Sabitzer stung the palms of new Schalke captain Ralf Fährmann, before Yussuf Poulsen had a goal ruled out for offside. Hopes of a comeback died in the 73rd minute though when good work from Amine Harit put Konoplyanka in one-on-one with Gulácsi, and the Ukrainian tucked away his third competitive goal of the campaign.
