Schalke slides toward relegation after 0-0 with Mainz

<p>BERLIN &mdash; Despite a new coach, Schalke took another step toward Germany’s second division on Friday with a scoreless draw in the Bundesliga against relegation rival Mainz.</p>
<p>The Gelsenkirchen-based club had been hoping for a change of fortune under new coach Dimitrios Grammozis, its fifth of a turbulent season, but the old problems remained and its winless run stretched to nine games since its only win of the season.</p>
<p>Schalke remained last, eight points behind Mainz, Arminia Bielefeld and Hertha Berlin. Bielefeld has two games in hand, while Hertha hosts Augsburg on Saturday.</p>
<p>Schalke <a href="https://apnews.com/article/soccer-sports-europe-ccf8c97e63a8596fe078710ada23566d">appointed the previously little-known Grammozis on Tuesday</a>, two days after a purge of five senior club staff including the coach, sporting director, team coordinator, lead fitness coach, and the assistant coach.</p>
<p>The 42-year-old Grammozis made three changes from the team that lost to Stuttgart 5-1 last weekend, bringing in goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow, midfielder Raman Benito, and the 18-year-old Kerim Çalhanoğlu for his Bundesliga debut. Çalhanoğlu is the cousin of Turkey and AC Milan midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu.</p>
<p>But the home team rarely came out of its own half and showed little sign of getting the win it needed to rekindle any slim hopes of Bundesliga survival.</p>
<p>Schalke defender Shkodran Mustafi went close with a rare chance when his header after a corner produced a fine save from Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner in the 18th.</p>
<p>The visitors pushed harder after the break, pinning Schalke back without creating clear-cut chances, and Schalke’s injury misery continued when Sead Kolašinac went off with what looked like a left hamstring problem in the 78th.</p>
<p>Zentner denied Suat Serdar with Schalke’s clearest chance shortly afterward, and Jonathan Burkardt forced Rönnow into action at the other end.</p>
<p>Schalke’s players looked exhausted toward the end, but the visitors were unable to take advantage.</p>
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<p>Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP">https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP</a></p>