FC Schalke 04 center back Ozan Kabak didn’t start until Matchday 10 when Benjamin Stambouli was out with an injury, but now that he’s scored two goals in his first two games with the club, it’ll be impossible to keep him out of the lineup.
On Matchday 10 against Augsburg, Ozan Kabak scored FC Schalke 04’s second equalizer in the team’s 3-2 away win. The game was Kabak’s Bundesliga debut for Schalke, as he had been a bench option due to the quality of play from starters Salif Sane and Benjamin Stambouli, along with top backup Matija Nastasic.
But Kabak is regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe, so Schalke fans knew that he would get his opportunity soon. Stambouli suffered a broken bone in his foot the previous week in the Revierderby, so Kabak got his chance against Augsburg and made the most of it with a goal and some great defending.
Sane’s injury against Augsburg and Nastasic’s own injury woes have only increased Kabak’s performance. He drew the start again on Matchday 11 vs. rivals Fortuna Dusseldorf, and, once again, he scored a crucial goal on a set piece.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL DO SCHALKE!
— SportsCenter Brasil (@SportsCenterBR) November 9, 2019
Ozan recoloca os azuis na frente!
Schalke 2 x 1 Dusseldorf #AlemãoFoxSports pic.twitter.com/afJIU4COhU
This goal from Kabak gave Schalke a 2-1 lead just past the match’s hour mark.
Now, Kabak has two goals in his first two Bundesliga appearances for the Royal Blues and five goals in the past one-and-a-half Bundesliga seasons as a center back. That’s quite the scoring record, and it’s safe to say that Kabak can replace the goal-scoring threat Sane provided on set pieces. He headed home Daniel Caligiuri’s brilliant free kick at Augsburg and scored this powerful header off a perfect Bastian Oczipka corner this weekend.
Kabak is an absolutely brilliant player, and his movement off the ball on this corner tells the whole story. There will be more goals for the Turkish international, in addition to his usual splendid defending and bright downfield passing.
You can tell Kabak watches Virgil van Dijk film.