Schalke tops Borussia Dortmund 2-1

SCHALKE CLAIM DERBY WIN AGAINST DORTMUND

Gelsenkirchen - FC Schalke 04 emerged victorious in an electrifying 145th Ruhrderby, overcoming arch rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at the Veltins Arena.The hosts were largely in command before the break and Cameroonian internationals Joel Matip and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting put them into a two-goal lead. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back for Dortmund, but the visitors were unable to make their second-half dominance count, eventually paying dearly for mistakes before the break. 

One-two punch 

Schalke settled into their rhythm quickly against their Ruhr district opponents, repeatedly passing their way towards the Dortmund goal in the opening stages. Sidney Sam gave Dortmund a first serious warning only two minutes into the game, seeing his effort saved by Roman Weidenfeller, before Choupo-Moting was thwarted. The BVB keeper was eventually beaten in the ninth minute, however, when Royal Blues centre-back Matip was left to head home. It was the wake-up call BVB needed, with Jürgen Klopp's men slowly starting to find a way into the game in. Both Kevin Großkreutz and Ciro Immobile saw their sides' first attacking efforts blocked after 15 minutes of play, but it were the home side who remained the more threatening side. They were soon able to double their advantage when Choupo-Moting took advantage of a poor clearance from Adrian Ramos to lash in a second. 

Aubameyang strikes 

Dortmund had been victorious in three of the sides' four previous meetings at the Veltins Arena, and they nevertheless responded well to the setback, as Ramos set up Aubameyang to sweep home from inside the box and notch in this fixture for the second season running. Lukasz Piszczek then came close to levelling matters shortly before the break, with Ralf Fährmann doing well to keep the Polish right-back's effort out. The visitors kept up their momentum after the interval, breaking forward with pace and purpose and as they began to enjoy the larger share of the possession. Immobile and Piszczek from distance, as well as Aubameyang with a free-kick, all sent purposeful efforts towards the Schalke goal, but none could beat an alert Fährmann on his 26th birthday. 

No joy for Kagawa 

Intending to add creativity to his Dortmund attack, Klopp threw on Shinji Kagawa near the hour stroke of the hour, with the Japanese settling into the five-time champions' offensive midfield, but clear-cut goalscoring chances became increasingly difficult to come by as the game wore on against a stiff Royal Blues defence. The Japanese international was at the heart of most of Borussia's action as Schalke's disciplined back line largely held the Schwarz-Gelben to long-range efforts. Dortmund threw bodies forward in the dying stages, but it was Schalke that almost grabbed a third through Huntelaar in added time. The final whistle sounded soon afterwards to signal Schalke's first home win of the season and allow Jens Keller's side to equal Dortmund's record of 30 Revierderby victories.

Arjen Robben hat trick leads Bayern Munich's demolition against Schalke 5-1

 Mario Mandzukic's header made it 3-0

BBC Sport

Arjen Robben's hat-trick helped Bayern Munich thrash 10-man Schalke and extend their Bundesliga lead to 20 points, a league record after 23 games.

David Alaba opened the scoring in the third minute before Netherlands forward Robben chipped in his first goal. Mario Mandzukic's header made it 3-0 and Robben's angled drive put Bayern 4-0 ahead within the first 30 minutes. Bayern's Rafinha put through his own net but Robben scored a penalty as Kyriakos Papadopoulos was sent off.

The victory extended Bayern's record unbeaten league run to 48 matches, dating back to October 2012, and earned their 15th straight league victory. The defending Bundesliga and European champions entertain Arsenal on 11 March with a 2-0 lead from the first leg in their Champions League last-16 first leg tie.

Having been hammered 6-1 at home by Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League last 16, Schalke were again put to the sword as Bayern cruised to victory. With just three minutes gone, left-back Alaba netted a free-kick, then Robben scored either side of Mandzukic's headed goal from a superb Alaba cross to make it 4-0 at the break.

Schalke were gifted a goal when Jefferson Farfan's corner was turned into his own net by Munich right-back Rafinha with 25 minutes left.

To compound Schalke's misery at Munich's Allianz Arena, Greece centre-back Papadopoulos was shown a straight red card for bringing down Mandzukic in the area.

His foul allowed Robben to wrap up his hat-trick with a 77th-minute penalty.

Schalke and Mainz played to a draw 0-0

 Skysports

Schalke failed to win for the first time in 2014 as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Mainz on Friday night.

Schalke's Santana taunts Mainz Shinji Okazaki

The Royal Blues, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League next week and perhaps were already thinking ahead to that match, could count themselves fortunate to have come away without being beaten by a strong Mainz side.

The visitors created the better chances, but failed to beat an inspired Ralf Fahrmann as they moved level on points with sixth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach who host Hoffenheim on Saturday.

It was immediately clear that Thomas Tuchel's side had arrived in Gelsenkirchen with the intention of winning the game. Shinji Okazaki had several good early chances, but met his match in Fahrmann, who also did well to deny Elkin Soto. A good combination between Koo Ja-cheol and Okazaki carved open the Schalke defence once again, but the latter was unable to supply the finish again.

Schalke struggled to break down the massed ranks of Mainz players and a deflected shot from Jefferson Farfan and flick-header from Felipe Santana was the closest they came to scoring. The second half was a similar story with Stefan Bell coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a header which was saved once again by Fahrmann.

Julian Draxler was sent on for the last 20 minutes by Jens Keller, although it made little difference as there was no way through for a Schalke side who looked a shadow of the team which had won four games in a row since the turn of the year.

Torres double helps Chelsea overcome Schalke 3-0

Torres celebrated after his opening goal

Chelsea rebounded from its opening loss to Basel to overcome Schalke at the latter's home ground. 

Fernando Torres first of his two goals came in the 5th minute. Branislav Ivanovic flicked Frank Lampard's corner with a header when Fernando Torres, waiting on the right side headed the back ball near the back post.  

Torres second goal came in the 69th minute. Max Meyer made an erroneous pass that was intercepted by Eden Hazard.  Hazard's heists set up a three to one Chelsea attack with Oscar, Hazard and Fernando Torres figuring out against Schalke's Jermain Jones.  Hazard passed the ball to his Oscar to his right.  Jones kept the pressure on Oscar who then slides the ball to Fernando Torres inside the box.  Torres then skirted Timo Hildebrand who slid and Fernando Torres scored on an empty net. 

Chelsea wrapped up its fantastic night with a third goal in the 87th minute by capitalizing on Benedikt Howedes mistake in passing the ball to Julian Draxler.  Ramires flashed the ball back after stealing it from Draxler.  The result was a fierce counterattack that figured another two in one offense with Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres against Joel Matip.  Torres crossover to the right in an apparent bid to confuse Matip who is marking Eden Hazard.  Hazard eventually slotted the ball past Timo Hildebrand to claim the night. 

Chelsea now leads in Group E despite its opening day setback.