bundesliga

Alexis Claude-Maurice hits second-half hat-trick as Augsburg sink 10-man Borussia Mönchengladbach

22.02.2025

Augsburg bided their time before putting Borussia Mönchengladbach to the sword, with a superb second-half showing from the visitors leaving the Foals to rue goalkeeper Jonas Omlin's early red card.

Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-3 Augsburg
Goals: 0-1 Claude-Maurice 55’ (assist: Gouweleeuw), 0-2 Claude-Maurice 61’ (assist: Wolf), 0-3 Claude-Maurice 70’ (assist: Giannoulis)
Red card: Omlin 28’

Prior to this encounter, Gerardo Seoane's hosts were enjoying their best season in five years but they welcomed an Augsburg side impressing themselves with a six-match unbeaten streak. Gladbach had lost just one of their previous nine home fixtures, but this matchday 23 encounter against the confident visitors promised to test of Gladbach's aims of a place in the top six.

The incident that led to Jonas Omlin's red card, as the Gladbach goalkeeper fouls Fredrik Jensen outside the box. - Lars Baron

Red card drama shifts momentum

The match began with both teams showing their intent, resulting in an evenly contested opening phase. However, the complexion of the game changed dramatically in the 28th minute. Gladbach's goalkeeper and captain was shown a straight red card for a last-man challenge on Fredrik Jensen outside the box. This pivotal moment forced the home side to reshuffle. With Moritz Nicolas out injred, third-choice custodian Tobias Sippel was thrown into the mix for his first appearance of the campaign.

Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen makes a crucial save, denying Tim Kleindienst. - IMAGO/Revierfoto

Dahmen denies depleted Gladbach

Despite being a man down, Gladbach showed remarkable resilience and created several chances. Finn Dahmen in the Augsburg goal proved to be a formidable last line of defence, pulling off a series of impressive saves. The Augsburg keeper's heroics were particularly evident in the 36th minute when he made three superb stops in quick succession, denying Ko Itakura, Joe Scally, and Nico Elvedi in a frantic goalmouth scramble. As the teams headed into the break, the scoreline remained 0-0, but the red card had set the stage for a dramatic second half.

Alexis Claude-Maurice scores the opening goal for Augsburg. - IMAGO/pepphoto / Horst Mauelshagen

Claude-Maurice unleashes goal spree

The second half saw Augsburg capitalise on their numerical advantage, with Claude-Maurice taking centre stage. The French forward broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, latching onto a penetrating pass from Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and finishing coolly past Sippel.

Just six minutes later, the French attacker doubled Augsburg's lead with a low drive from the edge of the area that caught Sippel off guard.

Augsburg players celebrate as Claude-Maurice completes his hat-trick. - Lars Baron

Historic hat-trick seals victory

Claude-Maurice completed his hat-trick in the 70th minute, etching his name in Augsburg's history books. After some neat footwork in the box, he fired a shot into the corner of the net, becoming the first Augsburg player to score a 'flawless' hat-trick in the Bundesliga. The third goal effectively ended the contest, with Gladbach's resistance now broken. The Foals, despite their early resilience, couldn't overcome the dual challenge of being a man down and facing an inspired Claude-Maurice.

Player of the Match: Alexis Claude-Maurice

Claude-Maurice delivered a top-class performance for his team, single-handedly dismantling Mönchengladbach with his hat-trick. His clinical finishing was evident in all three goals, each showcasing different aspects of his skill set. The first demonstrated his composure, the second his power from distance, and the third his close control and precision. Beyond his goals, Claude-Maurice was a constant threat, leading Augsburg's press and creating chances for his teammates. His historic hat-trick not only secured the win but also marked him as the standout player in a match full of notable performances.

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Gladbach 1.05 - Augsburg 1.95
Fastest player: Nathan Ngoumou (Gladbach), 35.93 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-2 by Claude-Maurice (Augsburg), 3.8 per cent
Most pressed player: Robin Hack (Gladbach), 21 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Chrislain Matsima (Augsburg), +3.4

Fantasy Heroes: Claude-Maurice (Augsburg, 607 Points), Marius Wolf (Augsburg, 355 Points), Dimitrios Giannoulis (Augsburg, 266 Points)