Ailton shines as Schalke qualify

FC Schalke 04 progressed from UEFA Cup Group A after a wonderful individual performance from Ailton helped condemn Ferencvárosi TC to a 2-0 defeat in Gelsenkirchen.

Sweet finish
The German side dominated most of the match and two unanswered first-half strikes, an own goal from Gábor Gyepes and a sweet finish from Levan Kobiashvili, meant a string of missed chances did not prove costly.

Few changes
The home team remained unchanged from their 3-0 win away against Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the weekend with Niels Oude-Kamphuis and Fabian Lamotte still absent with their respective hamstring and ankle injuries. The visitors made three changes from Saturday's 5-1 demolition of Zalaegerszegi TE, Szabolcs Huszti replacing Dániel Tőzsér in attack while Adem Kapic and Gábor Gyepes returned in place of Zoltán Balog and János Zováth.

Gyepes blunder
Raucous chanting from both home and away fans helped create a lively start to the match and both sides were looking to attack from the outset. Ailton, the Bundesliga's top scorer last season with Werder Bremen, looked threatening early on and it was not long before the home side took the lead. In the 15th minute a long throw-in was launched into the penalty area and with goalkeeper Lajos Szücs rooted to his line, defender Gyepes headed into his own net, under little pressure from the Schalke forwards.

Second goal
The goal enabled the 1997 UEFA Cup winners to relax and they began to attack far more effectively, another long throw causing panic in the visiting defence moments later. But Schalke were a little too confident in the 36th minute and goalkeeper Frank Rost had to come to the rescue after Aleksandar Bajevski was allowed to shoot low from a narrow angle.

Lead extended
Despite this scare, the home side extended their lead four minutes later. Ailton saw the keeper block his low shot after finding himself clean through but from the ensuing passage of play Kobiashvili received the ball on the edge of the area and delightfully curled in a low effort past Szücs with the outside of his left foot.

Chances galore
Schalke created plenty of chances after that with Ailton causing problems for the Ferencváros defence whenever he received the ball. Peter Lipcsei went close with a free-kick for the visitors then, at the other end, Schalke's Brazilian forward could have put the result beyond doubt but saw his 71st-minute effort from a narrow angle well saved. Gerald Asamoah then missed a great chance after finding himself in possession six metres out, but the attentions of two defenders were enough to see him scoop the ball over the crossbar.

Last opportunity
The German international had the final chance when his header flew wide but in the end two goals proved enough to defeat a Ferencváros side facing an uphill task to qualify. The Hungarian team are at home to FC Basel 1893 next week while Schalke, already assured a top-three finish, travel to Feyenoord on the same day.