Schalke 04 3 : 2 Wolfsburg - Flying start sees Schalke home

Posted Sunday, November 23, 2014 by PA

Schalke warmed up for the visit of Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday by holding off a Wolfsburg fightback to claim a 3-2 win at the Arena AufSchalke.

The Royal Blues raced into a three-goal lead inside half-an-hour thanks to an Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting double and a Christian Fuchs effort.

But Ivica Olic replied just before half-time and Nicklas Bendtner reduced the deficit to one, but the hosts held on to clinch all three points in Gelsenkirchen and ended their opponents' six-match winning streak.

With three wins out of three at home under new boss Roberto Di Matteo, the hosts had reason to be confident, even against their in-form opponents

And they made a dream start, almost out of sight within 25 minutes.

Marco Hoger delivered a cross from deep in the 10th minute which Choupo-Moting met with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area to put Schalke in front.

The Cameroon forward added the second midway through the first half. A delightful pass with the outside of his boot from Kevin-Prince Boateng sent Choupo-Moting through on goal and he beat Diego Benaglio.

The home fans inside the Arena AufSchalke were on their feet again within minutes, with Fuchs curling in a free-kick which eluded everybody, including Benaglio, on its way into the back of the net.

That start should have afforded Schalke a comfortable last hour, but they were made to sweat.

Olic reduced the arrears before half-time when he turned in a cross from his fellow Croatian Ivan Perisic.

Olic had an effort ruled out before, in the 74th minute, Bendtner set up a grandstand finish when his shot took a deflection off Felipe Santana to go through the legs of Ralf Fahrmann.

The Wolves could have levelled in stoppage time, but Naldo's header hit the top of the crossbar and the full-time whistle was met with sighs of relief from the home fans.