Schalke 04 leapfrogged Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday night thanks to a 1-0 victory at the Veltins Arena.
The winning goal arrived in the 10th minute as Kevin-Prince Boateng took advantage of space on the wing to deliver a cross fro Tranquillo Barnetta to convert from close range.
Monchengladbach would dominate possession for much of the match, but a lack of creativity in the final third from the visitors and a stubborn defensive performance helped Schalke climb up to third spot.
Read below to find out how the evening unfolded in Gelsenkirchen.
Good evening everyone. The Bundesliga weekend starts now, and it's a cracker of a game to kick off the latest round of fixtures. Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke are both in the race for Champions League football, but who will come out on top tonight?
Take away Bayern Munich's dominance. Forget Borussia Dortmund's struggles. This could be the most exciting storyline of the Bundesliga season. Monchengladbach start the night in third, but they are just five points behind Wolfsburg and two ahead of Schalke, who currently sit in sixth place. The results in these matches are going to be crucial in the race for a top-four finish.
Both sides head into the match on the back of positive results. Despite having the numerical advantage for the majority of their midweek meeting with Bayern, a 1-1 draw against the champions will surely give confidence to Roberto Di Matteo and his Schalke side. A third game in six days tests both teams, but two wins in two, including a 1-0 triumph over Freiburg on Tuesday, means Monchengladbach arrive in Gelsenkirchen in good form.
SCHALKE: Wellenreuther, Uchida, Höwedes, Matip, Nastasic, Fuchs, Kirchhoff, Höger, Boateng, Barnetta, Choupo-Moting
SUBS: Wetklo, Meyer, Aogo, Sane, Ayhan, Neustadter, Platte
As you may already have known, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar serves the second game in a four match-suspension tonight for his red card against Hannover last weekend, which means Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting leads the line for the hosts. His main support will arrive from Kevin-Prince Boateng, who hasn't always been a regular this season. Max Meyer is named on the bench.
MONCHENGLADBACH: Sommer, Brouwers, Dominguez, Jantschke, Wendt, Nordtveit, Xhaka, Herrmann, Hazard, Kruse, Raffael
SUBS: Blaswich, Dahoud, Traore, Johnson, Kramer, Korb, Hrgota
The big news for the visitors is that Raffael is selected to provide support for Max Kruse as Branimir Hrgota is forced to settle for a place on the bench. Granit Xhaka and Thorgan Hazard both start, but Christoph Kramer is named as a substitute.
Where will the game be won and lost tonight? It's too easy to point to the absence of Huntelaar. The Dutchman is a big miss for Schalke, but Choupo-Moting and Boateng can threaten this visiting defence. It's the midfield battle which looks to be the most intriguing. In Xhaka, Hazard and Patrick Herrmann, Gladbach can cause problems with late ventures in the box. Schalke must defend well this evening.
It's not been made clear what the problem is, but we'll now be starting at 7.40pm (UK time).
Well, let's just hope all of the problems are resolved before kickoff. The stadium is packed and the Schalke fans just won't stop singing. It's going to be a great atmosphere in what could be a crucial match in the fight for Champions League football.
When these two sides met in August, Monchengladbach cruised to a 4-1 victory. Could they repeat that achievement tonight? Schalke are a different side under Roberto Di Matteo, that's for sure. It will be intriguing to see who looks to get onto the front foot early on.
Here we go then. Both sides are out on the pitch. Wolfgang Stark, one of the more recognisable referees in world football, takes charge of the match tonight.
Gladbach will get the game underway!
A few reports have suggested that a bomb scare was behind the delay to kickoff, and the police were eager to take a few more precautions before the game got underway. Gladbach have started confidently.
Neither side have really been able to get hold of the ball in the early stages. A couple of hopeful balls forward have been met with groans from the Schalke supporters.
It's the visitors who are starting to dominate possession. Schalke are defending pretty deep, with Choupo-Moting and Boateng being asked to put pressure on the Gladbach defence. There's not been much play in attacking areas yet.
Superb skill on show from Choupo-Moting, who fools two defenders with a clever piece of skill near the corner flag. However, a poor cross into the box evades his teammates. He must do better from that position.
GOAL! SCHALKE 1-0 MONCHENGLADBACH (BARNETTA)
Schalke strike first! On his 250th Bundesliga appearance, Barnetta sprints to the near post to convert from a superb Boateng cross. Credit must go to Kirchoff, whose persistence in midfield started the attack. Can the visitors respond?
Schalke look full of confidence now. A free kick into the box is cleared as far as Fuchs, whose effort from25 yards is easily held by Sommer.
Gladbach enjoy a spell on top, but a corner is cleared before Herrmann's poor cross is volleyed away by Howedes. The visitors are looking to take control. However, space is at a minimum.
Schalke goalkeeper Wellenreuther doesn't have much Bundesliga experience, but he does well to get a couple of strong hands behind a deflected effort from Xhaka, who tried his luck from outside the box.
Hazard finally gets involved and he almost creates an equaliser. The Beglian sprints past a couple of challenges with apparent ease before delivering a cross to Herrmann, who watches Howedes head clear from inside his own six-yard box.
It's Gladbach who are seeing more of the ball now, but Schalke look comfortable defending in this 3-5-2 formation. The space is difficult to find for the visitors, and Schalke's midfielder are pressing the ball very well.
Barnetta delights the home crowd by winning the ball back moments after giving it away. Schalke eventually send a long throw into the box, but Kirchoff can only fire over from the edge of the box.
Boateng is quick to apologise, but it's no surprise to see the Ghana international go for glory from 30 yards. He targeted the top corner with a speculative effort which drifts well wide.
Both sides have enjoyed spells on top, but Gladbach have lacked a cutting edge in the final third of the pitch. One piece of quality from Boateng was enough to create the opening goal, and Schalke have looked solid since then.
Boateng is almost playing as a second striker in this formation. Both he and Choupo-Moting seem to have the freedom to drift into space on either wing, but the Schalke midfield need to fill the gap. Gladbach continue to knock the ball around well, but they need to get Kruse involved.
There's a break in play when Boateng clashes heads with Xhaka in midfield. Both players look fine to continue, thankfully. A quiet spell has taken over the game. That certainly suits Schalke.
Gladbach find themselves in a four on four situation, but a poor pass from Herrmann is followed by an equally disappointing Xhaka cross. They need to capitalise on the break.
CHANCE! Gladbach remain patient in their build-up play, and they almost get the reward as Brouwers plays the ball into the path of Raffael, who leans back to fire over the crossbar from the edge of the box. Poor finish from the attacker.
Hazard has really struggled early on. The Belgian has the quality to get his side back in the game but a number of poor touches have let him down at crucial moments. Schalke are defending very impressively. The hosts are seeing more of the ball once again. A second goal would be huge.
CHANCE! There's plenty of pushing in the box as Hoger delivers a corner, and Matip finds the space to meet the ball with a powerful header which sails over the crossbar. Decent chance for the home side.
Boateng wins a free kick for his side in a promising position. Fuchs delivers the ball into a good area, but Sommer comes off the line confidently to collect.
Superb from Matip. Nortveit evades a couple of challenges with some clever footwork on the left, but Matip steps in on the edge of the box with a perfectly time tackle. Gladbach are being frustrated in the final third of the pitch.
An awful free kick from Hazard allows Barnetta to lead the break. He's all on his own, but that doesn't stop him for the first 30 yards of a run. Dominguez eventually concedes a corner, and Gladbach are forced to clear again.
Schalke will be very happy. Chances have been difficult to come by since the opener, but Gladbach haven't threatened either. It's a game which certainly remains in the balance.
HALF TIME: SCHALKE 1-0 MONCHENGLADBACH
One clear chance, one goal. That was the story of the first half in Gelsenkirchen. There's been some decent football on show from both sides, but an excellent cross from Boateng and a clinical Barnetta finish has made the difference. As we probably already new, these two sides are very evenly matched.
Gladbach have played pretty well, but we're used to seeing Lucien Favre's side slice open defences with apparent ease, and the likes of Xhaka, Herrmann and Hazard have really struggled to make an impact in attacking areas. Credit must go to Schalke's back three of Howedes, Matip and Nastasic, who have all been excellent.
If Favre does think a change is necessary, Hrgota seems like the obvious option. Raffael has bee disappointing so far, and Hrgota does link up well with Kruse, who has been left isolated. In truth, Gladbach seem to be struggling against the 3-5-2 formation.
The players are back out on the pitch in Gelsenkirchen. No changes from either manager at the break. Schalke will get the game back underway.
Gladbach have settled quickly, but their possession is coming in areas which will not concern Di Matteo. Schalke are sticking to their defensive task well. There's very little space on offer.
Raffael leaves a couple of Schalke players behind him with a clever turn, but Hoger steps in with the perfect sliding tackle. Schalke's midfield have refused to allow their opponents to have a second on the ball. If you're a fan of good defending, it's very fun to watch.
Gladbach have dominated possession since the restart, but they're still doing very little with the ball. Di Matteo must be delighted with his side's defensive performance so far. Gladbach need to find a way to get Kruse involved.
Boateng and Choupo-Moting are being trusted to leave every attack, but support has been slow to arrive since the early opener. The former does well to retain possession on the right wing before picking out Hoger in the middle with a fine pass. Schalke keep the pressure on for an extended spell, but the move breaks down.
It's almost a moment of magic from Boateng, who has the awareness to chip the ball over the sliding Jantschke, but his next touch sends the ball through to Sommer. He looked set to unleash a strike from the edge of the box.
Raffael's touch takes him into the box for the first time tonight, but he goes down far too easily under pressure from Nastasic, who calmly cleans up. It's another fine piece of defending from a Schalke player.
Choupo-Moting does well to hold off a couple of challenges after chasing a hopeful long ball. That's exactly what Schalke need from their forwards. Chances have been rare, but they need to keep Gladbach away from the edge of the box. Surely Hazard or Herrmann will make a difference at some point, won't they?
SUBSTITUTION: Ibrahima Traore is back from the Africa Cup of Nations and he is on as a replacement for Kruse, who hasn't enjoyed a night to remember in attack for the visitors.
CHANCE! Traore has already done more than Kruse. Harsh on the departed forward, but certainly true. Brouwers chips a ball into the path of Traore, who should be given offside, and only a vital touch from Wellenreuther prevents Herrmann from tapping home in the box.
Schalke have offered very little going forward in the second half, but Gladbach have been unable to create the chances they need to get back into the match. The hosts continue to look relatively comfortable at the back.
Well, you can never say Boateng isn't entertaining. The Ghana international slices a speculative volley from 40 yards, but Schalke nearly double their lead moments later. Choupo-Moting dispossesses Dominguez before crossing for Boateng, who is denied by a superb tackle from Wendt.
Howedes is given a scary moment when he heads over his own crossbar while attempting to block a Herrmann effort. Wellenreuther relieves the pressure on the hosts by collecting the corner which follows.
SUBSTITUTION: Choupo-Moting's night is over as he makes way for Leroy Sane.
CHANCE! Schalke on top, and that's bad news for Gladbach. Boateng starts the move with a clever pass out wide to Barnetta, and he almost adds the finishing touch from the cross as his header drifts just over.
SUBSTITUTION: Herrmann has scored winners in each of Gladbach's previous two games, but he won't get a chance to extend that run. Hrgota is on as the visitors go in search of a way back into the match.
Raffael hasn't had the impact he would have wanted, but a solo run troubles the Schalke defence and Howedes chops down the attacker to give the visitors a free kick 30 yards from goal.
What a waste. Xhaka hits the free kick straight at the wall, and he fails to pick out a teammate at the second attempt. Time is running out for Gladbach.
There is space for Schalke to work on the break, but they haven't been able to take advantage so far. Luckily for the attackers, the home defence continue to excel. Howedes, Matip and Nastasic are latching onto every loose ball when the visitors threaten.
Schalke break forward to win a corner. Nastasic commits a foul attempting to head at goal, but it's a few more seconds wasted.
Excellent goalkeeping from Wellenreuther as he takes a difficult catch in a crowded six-yard box. The young shot-stopper has looked calm all evening.
SUBSTITUTION: Barnetta looks to be the match-winner this evening, and he comes off for the final few minutes to be replaced by Dennis Aogo.
Gladbach continue to dominate possession, but Schalke's pressing is still making life difficult for the visitors. A ball into the box eventually reaches Raffael, and his effort to find the top corner on the turn ends in frustration for the attacker. It was a half chance at best.
Gladbach pile the pressure on again, but Howedes and Matip both make vital clearances to keep out Favre's side. Time is running out for the visitors.
The fourth official confirms that there will be two minutes added on.
Sane hasn't seen much of the ball since coming on, but he wins a corner under pressure from two defenders in the second minute of stoppage time. Schalke aren't rushing anything at this stage. Aogo then picks up the first yellow card of the match after stopping Hazard from leading the counter attack. One more chance?
FULL TIME: SCHALKE 1-0 MONCHENGLADBACH
Schalke clear Gladbach's final ball into the box and the victory is secured for the hosts. Di Matteo is delighted on the touchline, and so are the home fans. Schalke climb up the table to replace Gladbach in third spot. It won't be remembered as a classic Bundesliga match, but it could be a key result in the battle for Champions League football.
That's all from me tonight. We hope you've enjoyed our live coverage of the match, but make sure you keep an eye on the site for all of the Bundesliga news over the weekend. Goodnight!
