Andrej Kramaric and Nabil Bentaleb cancel each other out as Hoffenheim and Schalke draw
Andrej Kramaric and Nabil Bentaleb scored second-half penalties as Hoffenheim and Schalke played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Saturday.
Hoffenheim 1-1 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Kramaric (pen. 60’), 1-1 Bentaleb (pen. 74’)
Hoffenheim set their stall out to attack as Steven Zuber forced a full-stretch save from Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann and struck the crossbar inside the opening six minutes. Schalke responded by carving out a couple of decent chances of their own, but Guido Burgstaller was unable to take them. After Fährmann pulled off a superb double stop from Kerem Demirbay and Joelinton, an eventful first-half concluded with match referee Dr. Robert Kampka revoking his decision to award Schalke a penalty for a handball against Zuber, following consultation with the VAR.
Hoffenheim were awarded a penalty when Bastian Oczipka was adjudged to have handled Ishak Belfodil’s shot less than 20 minutes into the second period. This time the VAR confirmed the ruling, and Kramaric made no mistake from the penalty spot. Schalke levelled soon after, however, with Bentaleb sweeping in a penalty of his own after Ermin Bicakcic had been penalised for a foul on Daniel Caligiuri. The equaliser put Schalke on the front foot, and they might have won it but for two strong saves from Oliver Baumann to deny Bentaleb and substitute Weston McKennie.
Match stats
- Kramaric has scored his last nine penalties in the Bundesliga. It was his 38th Bundesliga goal for Hoffenheim, putting him level with Roberto Firmino in the club’s all-time scoring charts. Only Sejad Salihovic and Vedad Ibisevic have netted more.Hoffenheim have scored at least once in all 13 of their Bundesliga matches in 2018/19.Twenty-two of Hoffenheim’s 28 Bundesliga goals this season have come following substitutions.Hoffenheim striker Adam Szalai made his 200th Bundesliga appearance.Bentaleb has scored all eight of his penalties in the Bundesliga.Schalke had lost all seven games in which they have gone behind this season, before this match.
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Line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Bicakcic, Vogt (c), Adams – Kaderabek, Demirbay, Grillitsch, Zuber (Schulz 70’) – Kramaric (Nelson 64’) – Belfodil (Szalai 80’), Joelinton
Unused subs: Kobel, Bittencourt, Hoogma, Posch
Absentees: Rupp (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Schalke: Fährmann (c) – Caligiuri, Sane, Nastasic, Oczipka – Schöpf, Rudy, Bentaleb (Mendyl 86’) , Serdar (Stambouli 70’) - Wright (McKennie 70’), Burgstaller
Unused subs: Nübel, Konoplyanka, Harit, Naldo
Absentees: Embolo (foot), Teuchert (hip), Uth (hamstring)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco
Watch: Nabil Bentaleb reflects on Schalke's draw with Hoffenheim
As it happened