FC Schalke 04
| 1-0 | Huntelaar | (9. Min) |
| 2-2 | Huntelaar | (78. Min) |
VfB Stuttgart
| 1-1 | Harnik | (22. Min) |
| 1-2 | Kostic | (51. Min) |
| 3-2 | Klein [OG] | (90. Min) |
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Stats 
Martin Harnik scored the 1-1 equalizer.
Late disappointment at Schalke
It was another good performance by VfB in Gelsenkirchen, but once again, Huub Stevens‘ men were left with nothing to show for their efforts. Martin Harnik and Filip Kostic put VfB in the driving seat after Schalke had taken the lead, but the hosts turned the tie back in their favour to eventually win 3-2 (1-1).
Huub Stevens made two changes to the side from the clash with Freiburg. The suspended Adam Hlousek was replaced by Daniel Schwaab and Serey Dié returned to defensive midfield in place of Oriol Romeu.
Harnik cancels out Huntelaar opener
A total of 4,300 VfB fans made the trip to Gelsenkirchen to get behind their side, knowing that they would be facing a Schalke side determined to take control of proceedings and hold onto all three points. The ‘Royal-Blues’ had more of the play early on and duly took the lead after just nine minutes, when the defence failed to get the ball cleared and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar pounced to put the hosts in front.
With Roberto di Matteo’s men in the driving seat, VfB initially had problems finding a way into the game and were lucky to have Sven Ulreich on hand, to prevent Leroy Sane from adding to the Schalke lead. With a quarter hour placed, the home side were still in front, but then VfB hit back, with Daniel Schwaab playing a vertical pass for Daniel Ginczek, who picked out the onrushing Martin Harnik to put VfB back on level terms (22‘). Just minutes later, the Cannstatt Boys could have taken the lead, but unfortunately Benedikt Höwedes got back to clear an effort from Filip Kostic off the line.
Huub Stevens: "We are very disappointed of course because we could have taken at least one, or maybe even three points here."
Post match comments
There were further chances at either end before the break, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar trying his luck with an over-head kick (37‘) and then Georg Niedermeier going close with a header from a corner, but as it stood, the sides went in at the break locked at 1-1.
Filip Kostic puts VfB in front
VfB got off to the better start in the second period, with the Cannstatt Boys proving dynamic, feisty, committed and determined against the Ruhr Valley club. Just two minutes into the half, Martin Harnik had a good chance, but was denied by Ralf Fährmann in the Schalke goal.
There was no chance for the S04 keeper just four minutes later though, with Daniel Ginczek passing to Filip Kostic for the Serbian international to slam unstoppably into the far corner to make it 2-1 for VfB (51‘).
Stevens‘ men looked to be in control of proceedings, but considering the individual quality within the Schalke side, they knew they would have to stay very alert. And the hosts made use of the quality to pounce on a defensive error and feed Huntelaar, who slotted home to make it 2-2 (78‘). VfB reacted with a chance for Martin Harnik, but the Austrian’s effort was to no avail (81‘). VfB were lucky not to go behind in the 87th minute, with Dennis Aogo firing wide from a promising position. That was to prove the end of the luck for VfB on the day though, with Florian Klein agonisingly turning a shot from Kevin-Prince Boateng into his own goal to seal a 3-2 win for the home side and bitterly leave Stuttgart empty handed once again.
