In the knowledge that a win would see Union return to the Bundesliga summit, the home crowd were in full voice. However, on the pitch, it was a rather tepid affair, with chances at a premium for both sides. No Schalke away league game had seen a goal within the opening 15 minutes, and that trend continued as Union struggled to create clear openings. The best chance of the half fell to Danilho Doekhi, who forced a save out of Ralf Fährmann following a partially-cleared set-piece.
Having failed to score a Bundesliga goal in over five hours, Schalke looked to force the issue after the break. Nonetheless, goalmouth action remained scarce as Die Knappen searched for just a fifth away league goal of the season. No side has picked up more points at home in Germany’s top flight this season than Union, yet as the game headed towards its conclusion, scoring opportunities were limited.
The contest remained scrappy until the last, as Schalke ultimately kept Die Eisernen at bay, picking up another valuable point as they bid to escape the Bundesliga drop zone. As for Union, a point takes them level with league-leaders Bayern ahead of a tantilising showdown with the reigning champions next weekend.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Moritz Jenz (Schalke 04)