Three games, no win: As coach of VfL Wolfsburg, Niko Kovac has to wait for his first three.

In the home game against newly promoted Schalke 04, the Wolves only managed a goalless draw – and were even lucky that visiting attacker Simon Terodde missed two penalties.

A week after the 2-2 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach, it was Schalke's second point win since returning to the top flight.

Although VfL acted in the second round with sometimes oppressive superiority and created a few chances, the royal blue saved the 0-0 with passion over time.

It got curious in injury time in the first half, when Terodde made two misses that should appear in any season review.

After the top scorer of the second division last season was awarded a penalty, he was denied by VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

But because the Belgian was too far in front of the line, the penalty was repeated.

Again Terodde aimed down right - but again Casteels parried.

Max Kruse once again caused a stir in Wolfsburg.

The extroverted attacker was not in the starting line-up against Schalke either – for the third time this season.

"Those who train well and hard must be rewarded," Kovac justified his action immediately before the game on Sky quite dryly: "If you don't do that, you punish those who work well.

The past never counts, I have to evaluate the now, that's very important in football."

In the Now, wolves were initially quite toothless without Kruse on Saturday.

Without pressure, without ideas and without creativity, VfL didn't manage to seriously endanger the league newcomer.

Except for a long-range shot by Paulo Otavio, which the guest keeper Alexander Schwolow fished out of the corner with a remarkable flight, Schalke had little trouble keeping the zero in the first half.

In front of the eyes of DFB captain Alexandra Popp, who, like 14 of their Wolfsburg team-mates, were honored during the half-time break for second place at the European Championships, the hosts increased the number of strokes in the second half - and created a few chances.

First Jakub Kaminski got stuck from close range (55'), then Maxence Lacroix headed a centimeter wide of the goal (56'), before Kruse caused danger with a volley just three minutes after he was substituted on (62') and a supposed goal from Josuha Guilavogui was disallowed for offside according to the video images (66th).