Schalke’s turtles fight their way to a point against Bayern

Vincent Kompany pulled his cap low over his face, lowered his gaze and hurried toward the dressing room after the halftime whistle. It would be bold to read too much into the Bayern Munich coach's roughly one-and-a-half-second exit, but there was little doubt he had not enjoyed the first half at Schalke.

His players appeared to share that feeling. Bayern labored through the routine demands of league football in Gelsenkirchen without making much progress, and the score stood 0-0 at the break.

Schalke had started the match carrying “tonnenschwere Ehrfurcht,” or awe as heavy as tons, against the Munich side. Yet the home team held Bayern scoreless, while Manuel Neuer endured what was likely his final away appearance at his former home.