SC Paderborn 07 1 - 2 Schalke 04 - Schalke win on the road

Posted Thursday, December 18, 2014 by PA

Schalke picked up their second away win in a row with a 2-1 triumph in Paderborn moving them up to fifth in the Bundesliga, on the coat-tails of the sides pushing for Champions League football.

In the first ever competitive meeting between the two Westphalian rivals, Paderborn took the lead through Kaan Ayhan's own goal, but that was cancelled out on the stroke of half-time by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

The hosts searched for a winner, but it was Schalke who found it with Roman Neustadter netting late on to make it two away wins in a row for Roberto Di Matteo, who bounced straight back from a shock home defeat to Cologne at the weekend.

That defeat was the Royal Blues' first at home since Di Matteo took charge and it appeared to have left its mark.

If there was one side playing with the confidence of a team who are looking forward to a Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid in February, it was Paderborn, who showed no fear as they sought to create an upset.

Ralf Fahrmann was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers and only logically he had to pick the ball out of the back of his own goal after half an hour when Stefan Kutschke's low cross was turned into his own goal by Ayhan.

It was a deserved lead, but Paderborn were unable to see it safely to the interval as Schalke levelled with their first big chance of the match.

Choupo-Moting picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and there was only one thing on his mind as he beat Lukas Kruse into the left-hand corner.

It did not knock Paderborn out of their rhythm, however, and Andre Breitenreiter's men continued to create the better chances in the second half.

Only when the game entered into its final 20 minutes did Schalke start to attack themselves, testing Kruse who saved well from Klaaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dennis Aogo.

There was nothing he could do to stop Neustadter from snatching the points for Schalke, though, with his decision not to come out to pick up a long throw-in from Fuchs allowing the Schalke midfielder to head the ball in.

Kutschke nearly grabbed an equaliser for Paderborn as they threw everything forward, but Fahrmann managed to save his header just on the goal line as Schalke held on.