Well that was a shock. Schalke threw away what should have been an easy lead last weekend against Fortuna Dusseldorf, and they did exactly the same at home to Montpellier to lose their place at the top of UEFA Champions League Group B.
Schalke vs. Montpellier: Final Score 2-2, Montpellier stun hosts with late goal
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It was Montpellier who opened the score with a brilliant curling effort from Karim Ait-Fana, who left Lars Unstarfell utterly helpless when he unleashed a right-footed effort from the edge of the box. But their visitors' lead wasn't to last. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who had previously put in a shot that might go down as one of the season's worst when he hit the corner flag while eight yards out from goal, played in a perfect through ball to Julian Draxler, who made no mistake as he slotted home to level the score.
Schalke deserved the lead, and they’d get it in the second half. Draxler made it happen, dodging through a host of white shirts before being clipped from behind in the penalty area by Garry Bocaly and ploughing into Geoffrey Jourden. Bocaly got a deserved red charge for the challenge, but Draxler paid a very high price for the slick move -- he was forced off the pitch and taken to hospital with a suspected fractured forearm.
Huntelaar had missed a penalty during Schalke’s win against Olympiacos two weeks ago, but he buried this one, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead that they didn’t look like relinquishing. Montpellier offered no threat whatsoever in the second half, and Schalke were able to open up their defence almost at will, spurning several chances to extend their lead. Eventually, their profligacy would come back to haunt them.
Nothing should have happened when the visitors marched forward in the final minute of the game, but Jonathan Tinhan did well to draw away the Schalke defence and then play the ball to Souleymane Camara. The Senegalese striker hit it first time, sending a wonderful effort straight into the far corner to make it 2-2. The stunned hosts could offer no reply after seeing two already-won points slip through their grasp. It probably won’t matter -- Montpellier needed to win here to really shake things up -- but the Ligue 1 side will at least take some hope from the draw after losing their opener to Arsenal.
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