Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi has handed interim coaches Mike Büskens and Youri Mulder a dream debut, beating Cottbus almost single-handedly.
Two days after Mirko Slomka’s departure Kuranyi bagged four goals in the 5-0 win over Energie Cottbus.
Highest win of the season
It was the first time that the striker scored four in a Bundesliga match, and Schalke’s highest win of the season.
It was an important win for Schalke in the race for a place in next season’s Champions League, and Energie - who had won three games in a row - came back down to earth with a bang.
Schalke needed a bit of good fortune, and it came on the half-hour mark when Energie defender Vragel da Silva put Marcelo Bordon’s header through his own net.
Tap-in, curler, low shot, header
Then it was time for Kuranyi. Six minutes later he was in the right place to turn home Fabian Ernst’s cross, and after 41 minutes he scored with a beautiful curler into the top corner from 18 metres.
Another defence-splitting pass from Ernst set Kuranyi up for a cool finish with 59 minutes gone, and he added a fourth with a header ten minutes from time.
Just one change
Büskens and Mulder had changed the starting line-up in just one position, with Brazilian Rafinha taking Mladen Krstajic’s place.
But it was all Schalke as Albert Streit (8), Kuranyi (13), Vicente Sanchez (20) and Halil Altintop (28) all missed early chances.
Energie had little to offer and could have conceded even more goals.
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