Sylla header seals 1-0 friendly win at Austria Lustenau

Schalke played their second friendly of the current international break on Saturday (3/10), taking on Austrian Bundesliga side Austria Lustenau. Moussa Sylla’s 68th-minute header proved the difference at the SUN MINIMEAL Arena as the Royal Blues secured a deserved 1-0 victory.

Karaman among four back in the starting XI

Loris Karius, Hasan Kuruçay, Robin Gosens and captain Kenan Karaman all returned to Schalke’s starting line-up in Austria after sitting out the previous friendly against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. Vitalie Becker, Adrian Gantenbein and Junior Dina Ebimbe again started in defence, with Ron Schallenberg and Luca Vozar in midfield and Moussa Sylla leading the line. Bryan Lasme was also named in the XI.

Schalke also used the game as an opportunity to give several players from the Knappenschmiede minutes with the first team. Mika Khadr, Edion Gashi, Ayman Gulasi, Steeve Noode and Jean-Paul Ndiaye from the U23s all featured over the course of the game.

Schalke create the better chances

Schalke looked to play forward quickly and directly from the outset in front of a crowd of 5,138. Moussa Sylla had the first effort after just three minutes, shooting well wide from the right side of the penalty area. Bryan Lasme tried his luck from a similar position a minute later, this time with a low drive. At the other end, Lustenau looked to create danger down the left through Seydou Diarra, although Hasan Kuruçay was among those who stepped in well to halt his progress.

Seydou Diarra was involved again in the 15th minute when his cross was directed towards Fabian Gmeiner at the far post, who was unable to reach it before the ball ran out of play. Schalke then threatened at the other end, with Moussa Sylla battling Matthias Maak inside the box before the Lustenau captain eventually stopped him (20’). A Robin Gosens corner caused further problems shortly afterwards, but Kenan Karaman’s header flashed just wide of the right post and beyond the waiting Sylla.

The hosts broke quickly through Dominik Weixelbraun shortly after the half-hour mark, but Vitalie Becker read the danger well and cut out his attempted square pass into the middle. Robin Voisine then sent a header over the bar without troubling Loris Karius (35’), before Weixelbraun also fired too high after controlling Danilo Soares’ cross on his chest and taking the shot early (39’).

Schalke had one more promising counter a minute before the break, with Ron Schallenberg and Robin Gosens combining to send the visitors forward. Gosens looked to slip Kenan Karaman in from the left, but his pass carried too much weight. The sides therefore went in goalless at half-time.

Sylla heads Schalke in front

Janik Bachmann replaced Bryan Lasme at the start of the second half and was immediately involved. After beating his man in midfield, he found Robin Gosens out on the left, who in turn picked out Luca Vozar centrally. The ball just got away from Vozar in the tight space before he could fashion a shot (53’).

Two minutes later, Junior Dina Ebimbe battled well for a high ball on the right side of the box, only to lose his footing just as a shooting opportunity appeared to open up. Moussa Sylla then had the clearest chance of the game up to that point. Fabian Gmeiner’s attempted clearance from a long ball dropped straight to the striker, who hit it first time from around 12 yards. Lustenau goalkeeper Domenik Schierl was quickly off his line, though, and made the save.

Lustenau changed goalkeepers on the hour, with Phillip Böhm replacing Domenik Schierl, and the substitute was soon called into action as Janik Bachmann tested him with a bouncing effort towards the bottom-left corner (67’). Schalke won another corner moments later, which Robin Gosens swung in. Ron Schallenberg flicked the ball on at the near post and Moussa Sylla met it in the air to head Schalke into a 1-0 lead in the 68th minute.

Janik Bachmann won a second ball outside the box soon afterwards and sent it back into the danger area, where Ron Schallenberg headed directly at goal this time (70’). Lustenau also worked their way into the Schalke box from the right in the 76th minute, although Loris Karius was never seriously tested. Bachmann then came close to capping an impressive performance with a goal of his own, only for his 77th-minute effort to be ruled out for offside.

Schalke introduced Steeve Noode and Jean-Paul Ndiaye in the closing stages (82’), before Finn Porath, Mika Khadr, Edion Gashi and Ayman Gulasi were also given minutes four minutes later. Lustenau had the final effort of the game in the 90th minute, but Lenn Jastremski’s attempt caused Karius no problems. Schalke saw out the closing moments to secure a 1-0 away win.

Freiburg up next

With the friendly in Lustenau now complete, Schalke will turn their attention to their next Bundesliga assignment. The Royal Blues round off matchday 5 with a trip to SC Freiburg on Sunday (11/10), with kick-off at 17:30 CEST.