Schalke fall back down to reality with a bump with a draw against a very impressive Mainz side.
The Royal Blues were on the back of 4 consecutive victories since the Rückrunde began, but were unable to overcome Thomas Tuchel's team. Tim Hoogland continued at right back whilst 19 year old starlet Leon Goretzka got the nod again after scoring against Leverkusen last week. Mainz arguably started the better of the two sides, playing with intent and could well have got themselves in front, a wonderful Johannes Geis' cross was met by the head of Shinji Okazaki, bouncing off defender Joel Matip's head, with the resulting corner almost giving the away side the lead, Stefan Bell's header hitting the wrong side of the goal, many thinking the defender had scored.
Schalke's usual flowing football had been restricted by Mainz's play in the opening period, and Ralf Fährmann was forced into a smart save from Elkin Soto's shot. It was still all Mainz in terms of efforts on goal as Christoph Moritz, back after that gruesome head injury against VfL Wolfsburg, finding January signing Ja Cheol Koo but he horribly miscued and curled well over the bar. Felipe Santana was then forced into a fantastic last ditch slide tackle on Okazaki as he raced through on goal.
Max Meyer then did well to find the elusive Huntelaar (and elusive in this game in the meaning he was nowhere to be found), a slight deflection winning a corner, before Mainz goalkeeper Loris Karius dropped a high ball before making up for his error quickly. Okazaki was proving to be a pain in the backside for Schalke's makeshift defence and a brilliant turn and technique, almost attempting to pass the ball into the net but Fährmann stopped the Japanese from adding to his nine goals this season.
The home side tried to get an undeserved lead, Leon Goretzka using superb control to work his way around 3 markers, finding fellow Schalke starlet Meyer. The 18 year old then found Jeff Farfan who really should have scored but his effort came off a defender and out for a corner. Goretzka and Meyer then combined again to find yet another promising talent from Gelsenkirchen, Sead Kolasinac but it fell to the Serbian's weaker foot, coming to nothing.
The final major action of the first half was one that should have given Schalke the lead, Meyer again involved, Farfan feeding the German and his cut back finding the 30 year-old couldn't make the most of his opportunity, as the half time whistle sounded minutes later.
The second half was not one that will live long in the memory. Early on the ball fell to Okazaki on the edge of the box but his rasping drive went into Fährmann's grateful hands. An absolutely woeful error from Karius then gifted the ball to Meyer who failed to make good of his surprise chance, Karius standing tall as the ball was hit straight at him before the rebound from Farfan was comfortably caught by the relieved 'keeper. Schalke then upped the pressure on Mainz, Goretzka chesting down the ball and firing at Karius, who spilled the ball, before Joel Matip's headed just wide from the corner. Okazaki then tumbled dramatically in the box.
Julian Draxler made his long awaited return after two months out from an ankle injury but it was one of the few positives on the night fot Schalke, Farfan by far and away the most hard working player on the pitch, Prince Boateng's one two with the wide man looked promising but Farfan's cut back was cleared before another cross from the man himself was absolutely perfect with Boateng unmarked by poor Mainz defending, the Ghanian heading wide of the right post in one of his less than spectacular performances in a 04 shirt.
A terrible costless kick from Benedikt Saller and an embarrassing slip while lining up a cross from Elkin Soto really summed up how below par the match was, though both managers were happy with the point. Thanks to @BL_Live_EN for the following quotes:
Germany - Bundesliga VAVELSchalke miss out on big chance as the Royal Blues are held to Mainz
Schalke miss out on the chance to leapfrog rivals Borussia Dortmund into third as a spirited Mainz side prevent the Royal Blues from extending their winning streak.
