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Borussia Mönchengladbach’s patchy form in the Bundesliga is showing few signs of improving after they were beaten 3-1 by Augsburg on Friday night (March 12).
Moenchengladbach have not managed a win in the Bundesliga since mid-January as they were put to the sword by a clinical Augsburg side, 3-1 win in the Matchday 25 opener.
Gladbach came into the game on the back of a four-game losing streak in the Bundesliga, part of a wider run of seven league outings without victory. They immediately set about trying to rectify that, with Lars Stindl sending out the first statement of their intent with a curling effort just off target in the third minute.
Florian Neuhaus was sent through on goal by Marcus Thuram shortly afterwards, only for goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz to come out on top in the one-on-one. Thuram then lashed a shot narrowly wide, Stindl saw his lofted effort float wide of the post, Matthias Ginter had a header cleared off the line from a corner and Valentino Lazaro arrowed a low shot wide of the target with just Gikiewicz to beat as Marco Rose’s side dominated the early exchanges.
There was a sense that it was not to be Gladbach’s day when Stindl missed a penalty after a foul on Thuram, and after a first half in which the away side had 10 shots to Augsburg’s four, as well as having 57 per cent of possession and winning 66 per cent of all tackles, the match was goalless at the interval.
The Foals were made to pay dearly for their profligacy early in the second period when half-time substitute Ruben Vargas met Daniel Caligiuri’s corner at the near post to flick the home side in front. Gladbach began to resume control of proceedings as the half wore on, and Thuram flashed a header just wide before drawing a save at full stretch from Gikiewicz with a stinging shot from 20 yards. Marco Richter snatched a shot over the bar on a rare Augsburg counter, before Gladbach’s pressure eventually took its toll.
Oscar Wendt teed the ball up for the unmarked Neuhaus on the edge of the area, and the Germany international was given time and space to place his shot into the bottom corner. The visitors set up camp in Augsburg’s half once more, only to be frustrated by an inspired performance from Gikiewicz, and they were caught cold once again when Augsburg took the lead out of the blue.
Felix Uduokhai’s cross from the left caused panic on the box as Andre Hahn was first to it, with the ball eventually coming to Richter, who slid in to give Augsburg the lead.
Hahn ran clear on the break late on, netting Augsburg’s third with a lovely chip over Yann Sommer to give his side three vital points that lift them 13 clear of the relegation zone.
Story by Sammy Wejinya
@SPNAfrica News
www.spnafricanews.com
