Gladbach snap winless run with much-needed win over Mainz
Borussia Mönchengladbach ended their eight-game winless run in the Bundesliga with a crucial 1-0 victory over 1. FSV Mainz 05 at BORUSSIA PARK on Sunday.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 1. FSV Mainz 05
Goals: 1-0 Christensen (77')
Red card: Gbamin (90')
Tension was evident in the Gladbach ranks as they commenced their search for a first win in nine Bundesliga games. Were it not for a fine saving challenge from Christensen on Onisiwo, the Mainz forward would have had a glorious opening in the 22nd minute. Onisiwo did escape his marker ten minutes later, but his low shot was saved easily by Yann Sommer. Christensen then renewed his rivalry with Onisiwo – and came out on top again – as the half approached its conclusion.
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Christensen covered again to cut out Onisiwo early in the second 45 minutes as Mainz again were first on the attack. With Gladbach in growing difficulty, their 12th man of the BORUSSIA PARK lent them a hand with the volume of the home fans' support resonating. Within seconds, Raffael raced forward following Alexander Hack's slip, but he lost his poise as he prepared to shoot. Oscar Wendt sent in a diagonal shot to test Jonas Lössl before Gladbach made the breakthrough through the unlikely source of Christensen, who tucked in a crucial winner.
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Talking point
Borussia rose from the ashes to clinch a place in the UEFA Champions League last season, climbing the rungs of the Bundesliga ladder after five defeats at the start of the season. After snapping an eight-game winless run, those fans who listened to the Champions League anthem for the last time in 2016 in midweek will hope for a repeat rise this time after seeing their side win again.
Match stats
- Mainz coach Martin Schmidt made five changes to his starting XI for the fifth game in a row.Danny Latza was lively on his first start since 17 April, seeing more of the ball (47 times) than any of his team-mates and covering the most ground in the first hour (8.1km).Christensen became the first Borussia defender to score a goal this season.
Line-ups
Gladbach: Sommer - Elvedi, Christensen, Vestergaard - Jantschke, Dahoud, Strobl, Wendt (87' Schulz - Stindl (c) – Hahn (46' Hazard), Raffael (90+1' Drmic)
Coach: Andre Schubert
Mainz: Lössl - Donati, Bell (c), Hack, Bussmann – Latza (80' De Blasis), Gbamin – Öztunali (87' Holtmann), Malli, Jairo Semperio (71' Seydel) - Onisiwo
Coach: Martin Schmidt