SCHALKE MATCHDAY 24: vs. PREUßEN MÜNSTER

Schalke welcome Münster to the VELTINS-Arena for a afternoon encounter.

Münster will face Schalke's winter siging, Loris Karius in his first match of the year. The new Schalke keeper will make his return to German football after being away for exactly four years to the day.

Schalke is also still without their captain Kenan Karaman due to illness.

Today's match also marks the return of fan favorite referee Deniz Aytekin who has been away for awhile.

The whistle goes and we are underway.

Karius does not waste time to get a taste of action as in the 5th minute he clears the ball with a flying header.

Then ten minutes later in the 15th minute Karius comes up huge for Schalke as Münster player breaks through the defense and Karius makes himself big and keeps the ball out of the net with a big time booting of the ball away.

Schalke struggling to find offensive threat in the final third, with most of our true attacks out with injury, Schalke just are not able to get any conveicing chances.

The first half comes to a end.

SCHALKE 0- MÜNSTER 0

With Karius being the difference in the first half, he has kept Schalke in this match despite not much in attacking from the royal blues starting eleven today.

It is not all bad for Schalke as they are very much in control of the match and hold a huge advantage over Münster with possession of the ball.

Schalke get a few attempts at goal, but easy saves for the Münster keeper.

In the 63rd minute Seguin hits the post on his flick of the ball from Aydin's shot from the edge of the box, Schalke had the keeper beaten but could not beat the goal post.

Schalke make a sub in the 67th minute and bring in striker Meissa Ba.

Münster almost score in the 68th minute with a wild play that sees Schalke player Barkok miss the clearance attempt gifting Münster the ball and Kirkeskov shots from about 12 yards out, the ball beats Karius and rocks the inside of the post behind him, then the ball travels along the goal line behind Karius and, as he turns back to see where the ball is, it as already cleared the other post and out, but Karius almost might have knocked it in his own net if the ball was moving slower.

Then Münster forward puts on a show and connects with a beautiful bicycle kick in the 71st minute,but again Karius is there to make the big diving save to prevent Kimsombi with the highlight reel goal.

After the ball is out the two players give congrats to each other on the fabulous kick and the amazing save.

As Schalke continue the pressure at Münster goal in the 86th minute it is winter siging, Pape Meissa Ba who gets the ball just into the Münster zone past the half line, dribbles the ball with some pace and heads tight towards goal and smoothly puts his shot past Scheck to give Schalke a lead with only a few minutes to play.

SCHALKE 1 - MÜNSTER 0

Münster were not gonna sit back and take a defeat and in the 89gh minute, Karius preforms heroics to save the lead.

Karius stops the first shot from Koul, as Karius is on the ground he has to jump up quickly with all the commotion in front of him and then within seconds responds and tips the Kinsombi shot over the bar.

The Schalke players all rush and mob Karius with hugs everywhere on that highlight of a double pack save.

With that the whistle goes for full-time and Schalke and more importantly Karius do what they have been looking for and that is have the keeper steal 3 pts for them and this match, his first in almost a year has Karius steal and save all the points for Schalke.

The home victory give Schalke 30 points, moves them back up to 12 spot in the table and 8 points away from relegation zone.

Schalke also sit 11 points away from the last playoff promotion spot.

Next up is next Saturday at strudging Hertha Berlin.