A rare test for Fahrmann, who is called into action to parry Warda’s venomous effort wide.
90'
K. Huntelaar has scored a goal for Schalke 04! Assist by M. Nastasić.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!! HUNTELAAR GETS ON THE SCORESHEET! A landmark strike for the veteran Dutch striker, who capitalises on terrible goalkeeping from Glykos to slam home his 50th goal in European club competitions.
Matija Nastasic will claim the assist for Huntelaar's strike, as Glykos' tame punch bobbled off his head and into the path of Schalke's forward.
89'
Fernando Varela gets yellow.
While Matos has just got away with another bookable offence, his teammate Varela is not so lucky. He will now miss the return-leg.
85'
Amr Warda enters the game and replaces S. Athanasiadis.
A final change for PAOK, who have been truly outclassed this evening. Medhat Warda comes on in place of the ineffective Stefanos Athanasiadis.
84'
K. Huntelaar enters the game and replaces G. Burgstaller.
And that goal is followed up by Schalke’s second switch in personnel. Off goes their opening goalscorer Guido Burgstaller, to be replaced by Klass-Jan Huntelaar. Not a bad option to have from the bench!
82'
M. Meyer has scored a goal for Schalke 04! Assist by B. Höwedes.
GOOOOAAAALLL! MEYER WRAPS IT UP! Horrid defending from PAOK allows Meyer - who has netted just one Bundesliga goal this campaign - to steal in unmarked from Howedes cross and duly head home Schalke’s second of the night.
It was a classy piece of play from Schalke’s skipper, who made a smart run down the right before delivering a precise cross.
80'
Matos continues to push his luck - this time blatantly handling down on the left, but again the referee does not show a second yellow. Meyer whips in a dangerous cross, but Malezas heads it away for a corner.
79'
Y. Konoplanka enters the game and replaces D. Caligiuri.
A first change now for Schalke. Daniel Caligiuri makes way, with Yevhen Konopylanka his replacement.
77'
Pedro Henrique enters the game and replaces D. Biseswar.
Another change in the offing from Ivic. Pedro Enrique - a new signing from Rennes, who netted his first PAOK goal in the dramatic 3-2 win over Asteras Tripolis - comes on, replacing Diego Biseswar.
75'
Fantastic pressing from Stambouli sees Schalke regain possession high upfield. Meyer picks up the scraps before sliding a neat pass out to the left, allowing Kolasinac to chip in an inviting cross, but Caligiuri is just unable to apply the finish.
Minute
Description
73'
Reckless from Martos, who is perhaps fortunate to escape a second booking for a late lunge on Kolasinac.
71'
While PAOK are looking more of a threat with the pace of Djalma up top, you do feel that Schalke are in control without really having to step out of first gear. With the quality of Huntelaar and Konpylanka to draft on from the bench if required, they could well wrap-up this result should they increase their attacking impetus.
68'
More heavy-handed - though effective - defending from Nastasic, who does well to steward Djalma away from the goal after another long ball from deep had caused some issues for Schalke’s back-line.
66'
M. Nastasić gets yellow.
Another Schlake player goes into the book - this time it is Nastasic, who hauled down Athanasiadis.
64'
PAOK are retaining possession nicely, but their attacks seem to brake down once they approach the final third, with Schalke’s defence able to win the ball back in composed fashion.
61'
At long last, PAOK seem to be starting to up the tempo and apply some pressure to Schalke’s back-lone, though the visitors have shown no signs of wilting as of yet, and present a real threat on the counter.
59'
A half-chance for Meyer as space seems to open up in front of the playmaker, but the youngster cannot get the ball out of his feet quick enough to take advantage, and PAOK’s defence recover.
57'
Kolasinac finds himself in the book now, having brought down Matos down the right. Cimirot floats in a cross from the resulting free-kick, but Fahrmann gathers it in with ease.
A yellow card is also shown to Matos, who reacted badly to Kolasinac's tackle.
56'
Léo Matos gets yellow.
S. Kolašinac gets yellow.
Perhaps this substitution will do just that. Off goes Ioannis Mystakidis, who has faded since Schalke went ahead, and on comes Djalma Campos.
55'
Djalma enters the game and replaces I. Mystakidis.
There’s no rhythm to this encounter at the moment, though, and you feel that suits Schalke much more than it does PAOK, who need to find a way to ignite the home faithful and haul themselves back into this contest.
54'
A painful knock for Caligiuri, who feels the full force of the ball been booted into his face from point-blank range, before he was then caught by the trailing boot of Shakhov. The former Wolfsburg man receives some brief treatment, and is quickly back to his feet.
52'
Schalke have no-doubt missed the influence - both on and off the ball - of Nabil Bentaleb this evening, the Tottenham-loanee missing this clash with a stomach virus, and neither Meyer nor Stambouli have been able to fully stamp their authority in this game so far. However, Mystakidis has not had the same impact thus far as he had in the early phase of the first-half.
50'
L. Goretzka gets yellow.
A needless booking for Goretzka, though it appeared harsh to say the least from the official. Schalke's midfielder was simply pointing out - and correctly so - that Caligiuri's strike had taken a deflection off a PAOK defender before trickling out of play, but the referee was having none of it.
48'
If PAOK can refind the intensity they had in the opening stages of tonight's clash, they are sure to cause a headache for Schalke's defence, who look somewhat suspect when the hosts elect to go more direct. However, Ivic's side must not allow the visitors to get a foothold on proceedings.
46'
T. Kehrer enters the game and replaces A. Schöpf.
We are back up and running at Stadio Toumbas, and in all-truth there has been very little to separate the teams so far. Schopf's proficiency from set-pieces proved decisive prior to the interval, with PAOK's defence unable to handle the wing-back's excellent deliveries. However, they will not have to deal with that in the second-half, with Schopf having made way for Thilo Kehrer.
44'
PAOK seem to have switched to a 3-4-1-2 now, with Bisewar taking up a central role, allowing the Dutchman to roam. That creates space for Matos to get down the right, but the Brazilian’s cross is well-cleared by Fahrmann.
41'
A drifting run from Meyer, who is just starting to find space in the final third as we approach half-time. The youngster is just about to pull the trigger on his shot when Varela gets across to make a fine interception.
39'
Schalke look to have taken control at the moment, with PAOK really struggling to craft a way out of their own territory.
36'
Close call! A fine bit of goalkeeping from Glykos on this occasion, as he comes out to smother Burgstaller’s close-range shot, though the Austrian had already been flagged for offside.
34'
M. Leovac gets yellow.
Reckless from Leovac, who provides Schopf with another opportunity to deliver from a set-piece by bringing down Schalke's wing-back.
31'
Schopf, already on a booking, is really struggling to keep pace with Leovac down Schalke’s right flank, but despite once again finding himself with time and space in the area, PAOK’s No.4 fails to take advantage - this time it’s Naldo who gets across to steward the ball away from danger.
29'
PAOK started so well, and in all-truth have looked the more dangerous of the two sides, but a lapse in concentration from their usually-stoic defence has cost the hosts here. Still plenty of time left in this one, though that is a crucial away goal for the Bundesliga side.
27'
G. Burgstaller has scored a goal for Schalke 04!
GOOOOAAAALLLL!!! Well, that is the opening that Schalke needed! It is Burgstaller - with his 11th goal from his last 15 appearances - who has it. It’s taken just 27 minutes for the striker to mark his Europa League debut, capitalising on Glykos’ weak save from Naldo’s header to blast high into the roof of the net from close-range. Schalke lead,1-0.
26'
Perhaps this will present a better opportunity for the visitors, as Crespo hauls down Burgstaller on the right flank. Schopf delivers… but PAOK deal with the cross easily.
24'
Another strike from range from a Schalke player - this time Kolasinac looking to find the target with a low effort that skips up into the waiting arms of Glykos.
23'
Schalke have seen plenty of the ball so far, though bar Goretzka’s hopeful effort, they have done little to trouble PAOK’s defence - who have kept 11 clean sheets in their last 15 matches.
20'
Brilliant from Mystakidis! It was almost the curse of the commentator for Schalke then, with PAOK’s diminutive forward causing havoc on the edge of the area with another slaloming run. He eventually flicked a delicate pass into the area, with Leovac again meeting it, but once more the Croatian does not test Fahrmann.
18'
Wide from Goretzka, who looked to follow-up his goal against Hertha Berlin last time out by trying his luck from range, though his effort never looked in danger of finding the net. Moments later, Burgstaller thumps a strike well over the crossbar, but the signs are promising for the visitors...
16'
Tidy play from Schalke. Howedes is the instigator with a powerful run, which creates the space for Schopf and Goretzka to combine down the right. It leads to a corner, but nothing comes of the set-piece.
14'
Clever play from Mystakidis, as the former Freiburg and Hoffenheim youth player slips in-between the lines and slides a neat throughball into the path of Leovac, but the wing-back is just unable to take the ball under control, allowing Fahrmann to collect.
12'
It will be interesting to see how Caligiuri and Burgstaller link-up for Schalke this evening. The latter has got his career at Veltins-Arena off to a strong start, though should the visitors require it, they do have the fire-power of Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Yevhen Konoplyanka - a Europa League winner with Sevilla last term - waiting in the wings.
9'
Brave goalkeeping from Fahrmann, who dives off his line to punch Athanasiadis’ free-kick clear.
7'
A. Schöpf gets yellow.
That’s a booking for Schopf, who was caught out of position by Leovac. Schalke looked composed to begin with, but PAOK certainly have the upper hand at the moment, and now have a free-kick on the cusp of the visitors’ area...
6'
CHANCE! What a miss from Matos! A great opportunity for the hosts goes begging as, at the culmination of a weaving run, Mystakidis’s cross lands at the feet of Matos at the back post, only for the wing-back to skew his effort into the side-netting.
4'
Schalke’s reinvigorated form stems from a switch to a back three, and despite Fahrmann’s error, the visitors look comfortable building out from the back as they aim to retain possession and pick out a gap in PAOK’s rear-guard, though that will be easier said than done.
2'
CLOSE! A mistake from Fahrmann as he undercuts his pass, but fortunately for the Schalke goalkeeper, Mystakidis cannot take advantage.
1'
KICK-OFF! PAOK get proceedings underway at Stadio Toumbas!
Hello and welcome, football fans, to this LIVE coverage of Europa League action, as we bring you all the action from the first leg of Schalke’s round-of-32 clash with PAOK.
Both sides enter this contest in fine form domestically. The Greek side, under the tutelage of young coach Vladimir Ivic, sit third in the Greece Super League, having failed to win just twice in all competitions since the turn of the year.
Schalke, however, are only just recovering from their dismal start to the campaign. After a torrid run in the Bundesliga prior to Christmas, Markus Weinzierl’s side seem to have turned a corner in recent weeks, having won three of their last five games across all tournaments.
Despite their poor league form, Schalke have had no such issues in their Europa League campaign this term, winning five of their six Group I fixtures, securing top-spot with ease. PAOK, meanwhile, finished second - behind Fiorentina - in their pool.
An interesting team selection for Schalke, then, with Weinzierl seemingly looking to match systems with the hosts. Max Meyer is likely to be given a free role in the centre of the park, with Benjamin Stambouli sitting ahead of an impressive back three. Guido Burgstaller and Daniel Caligiuri make their European debuts for the Blues up top.
HALF-TIME: PAOK 0-1 Schalke.
Schalke lead in Thessaloniki, courtesy of Burgstaller’s maiden Europa League goal for the club. In spite of a timid opening, in which PAOK were the better side, it has been a near-textbook away performance from Weinzieri’s side, who have restricted their hosts to very little since the opening stages.
Goals from Burgstaller, Meyer and Huntelaar have all-but secured Schalke’s berth in the final 16, with the second-leg next week seemingly a formality for the Bundesliga side now.
FULL-TIME! It’s all over in Greece, where PAOK have been dismantled by a terrific Schalke display.
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time, goodbye!
PAOK started brightly, but faded as soon as Schalke took the lead against the run of play. And in all-truth, it never looked likely the hosts would recover as Schalke put one foot firmly into the next round.
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