Cologne and Schalke 04 shared a goalless draw at the RheinEnergieSTADION on Saturday, 24 October, with both sides finding chances but no finish in Bundesliga Matchday 7. Satoshi Tanaka struck the post late on for Schalke, while Cologne forced several saves and blocks around the visiting penalty area.
Tanaka hits the post in scoreless finish
The clearest late opening fell to Schalke in the 79th minute. Janik Bachmann set up Tanaka, whose left-footed effort from a tight angle on the right struck the far post.
Cologne responded with a busy final phase. Marius Bülter had a low shot saved after Ísak Jóhannesson’s pass in the 74th minute, Luca Waldschmidt’s follow-up from range was blocked, and Borna Sosa saw another long-range attempt stopped in the 90th minute.
- Junior Adamu’s header from Adil Aouchiche’s cross was saved shortly after the restart.
- Bülter had a 65th-minute effort from outside the area kept out.
- Saïd El Mala missed Cologne’s main early openings, shooting wide in the 18th minute and over in the 32nd and first-half stoppage time.
- Schalke went close before the interval through Adil Aouchiche and Soufiane El-Faouzi, both narrowly off target.
- Hwang Hee-chan headed wide from Robin Gosens’ cross, while Nikola Katic missed with a header from a corner.
Injuries alter Schalke’s first half
Schalke were forced into two substitutions in the 43rd minute. Robin Gosens, who had supplied crosses for early chances, left injured and was replaced by Vitalie Becker. Soufiane El-Faouzi also went off injured, with Bachmann entering.
Junior Adamu had received treatment earlier in the half but continued. Cologne’s Linton Maina was also briefly down before returning to the match. Luka Lochoshvili later had to be replaced through injury in the 90th minute.
- Schalke: Becker replaced Gosens and Bachmann replaced El-Faouzi in the 43rd minute.
- Cologne: Waldschmidt came on for Mikey Moore in the 68th minute.
- Cologne made a double change in the 80th minute, bringing on Reigan Heskey for El Mala and Paul Okon-Engstler for Tom Krauß.
- Jan Thielmann replaced Maina in the 90th minute, while Joël Schmied took over from the injured Lochoshvili.
Cards and stoppage-time pressure
The match became more fragmented after the break. Krauß was booked for a dangerous challenge in first-half added time. Schalke’s Junior Dina Ebimbe, Becker and Hasan Kuruçay were cautioned after the interval, as was Lochoshvili for Cologne.
Cologne had more late territory, with Sosa and Waldschmidt testing the Schalke defence, but the visitors held on. Schalke’s final attacking move ended when Adamu was flagged offside after Tanaka’s through ball.
- Krauß was booked in the 45th minute.
- Ebimbe saw yellow in the 71st minute.
- Lochoshvili was cautioned in the 81st minute.
- Becker was booked in the 83rd minute and Kuruçay in the 89th.
- Eight minutes were added before half-time and two minutes after the 90th minute.
