bundesliga

Borussia Mönchengladbach keep up title challenge with 2-0 win over Augsburg

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Late goals from Oscar Wendt and Patrick Herrmann were enough to break Augsburg's resistance and earn Borussia Mönchengladbach a 2-0 win that helps them keep pace with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the top of the standings.

Gladbach 2-0 Augsburg

Goal: 1-0 Wendt (78'), 2-0 Herrmann (90+3')

Having slipped even closer to the relegation zone last week, Augsburg had their backs to the wall and defended as such faced with a herd of Foals, galloping in numbers towards their goal. Ibrahima Traore, in for the injured Thorgan Hazard, had several chances to put the hosts in front, but Gregor Kobel showed why he has become Augsburg's number one this year with a string of fine saves. He had saved his best for just before half-time when he guessed correctly to keep Jonas Hofmann's penalty out, and his side on terms at the break.

With half of the job done, Augsburg appeared to rediscover a little bit of confidence at the start of the second half, even showing some attacking intent of their own. An injury to Alfred Finnbogason was the last thing they wanted to see, however, especially as Gladbach were again starting to get on top with Lars Stindl heading just over. Kobel was continuing to run a tight ship, but there was only so much he could do alone and, after parrying an effort from Michael Lang, he could only watch as Oscar Wendt fired the rebound in. Kobel almost supplied an equaliser as his long punt was picked up by Andre Hahn, but he was unable to convert Augsburg's one and only decent opportunity of the game before Patrick Herrmann let rip with a stunning second to seal Gladbach's ninth win in a row.

Oscar Wendt (r.) scored the opener as Borussia Mönchengladbach stayed in touch at the top with victory over Augsburg. - imago/Xinhua

Match stats

  • Hazard missed his first game of the season, with Yann Sommer and Wendt the only remaining Gladbach players to have started all their games this season.
  • Gladbach have now won their last 12 Bundesliga home games in a row, equalling their all-time club record set under Jupp Heynckes in 1983/84.
  • Borussia captain Lars Stindl has never lost against Augsburg (W8, D6) and has six goals.
  • Augsburg are without a win in ten Bundesliga games, equalling a club record.
  • Gladbach now lead the Bundesliga in the number of clean sheets this season - nine.
  • This was the Foals' ninth straight win.

Line-ups

Gladbach: Sommer – Lang, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt – Neuhaus (Cuisance 63'), Strobl, Hofmann – Traore (Herrmann 77'), Stindl (c), Plea (Zakaria 84')
Unused subs: Sippel, Kramer, Johnson, Jantschke
Out: Bennetts (thigh), Doucoure (thigh), Raffael (collarbone), Hazard (bruised thigh)
Coach: Dieter Hecking

Augsburg: Kobel – Danso, Stafylidis, Hinteregger – Khedira – Schmid, Moravek, Baier (c) (Gregoritsch 82'), Max (Teigl  67') – Hahn, Finnbogason (Cordova 73')
Unused subs: Luthe, Götze, Callsen-Bracker, Richter
Out: Caiuby (unavailable), Framberger (knee), Gouweleeuw (knock), Jakub (ankle), Ji, Koo (both Asian Cup), Schieber (thigh)
Coach: Manuel Baum

Click here for the Gladbach vs. Augsburg match centre!