bundesliga

Jonas Hofmann and Lars Stindl star as Borussia Mönchengladbach breeze past Greuther Fürth

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Jonas Hofmann and Lars Stindl proved too hot for Greuther Fürth to handle as Borussia Mönchengladbach eased to a 4-0 victory on Matchday 12.

Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-0 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 1-0 Hofmann 9’ (assist: Stindl), 2-0 Neuhaus 28’, 3-0 Plea 43’ (assist: Stindl), 4-0 Hofmann 57’ (assist: Stindl)

It took Gladbach less than 10 minutes to carve their way through the weakest defence in the league as two quick passes saw Stindl play Hofmann in behind down the right, cut inside and fire high over Marius Funk. It was two just before the half-hour mark when a miscued clearance was met first time by Florian Neuhaus, who found the bottom corner from some 30 yards with his side-footed hit. Wing-backs Patrick Herrmann and Joe Scally both had efforts pushed over the bar, Stindl was denied by the post after a deft flick by Alassane Plea before the latter had a shot across goal just tipped around the post. The relentless onslaught of the Fürth goal continued, this time with the net bulging again when the Frenchman played a one-two with Stindl and buried his effort from the inside left into the far corner.

Half-time changes did little to alter the flow of the game and it was four for Borussia before the hour was up. Stindl again was the provider after he won the ball on the halfway line and set Hofmann away. The Germany international was clinical one-on-one once more to bag his brace. Points in the bag, Gladbach took their foot off the gas, but were still the dominant side and faced only four shots, with Yann Sommer only being called into action twice but without danger. It leaves the Clover Leaves rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point – eight adrift of Arminia Bielefeld in 17th and 11 from Augsburg in automatic safety. Gladbach move to the verge of the European places as they maintain their unbeaten home record in 2021/22.

Match stats

  • Hofmann took his tally to a team-leading six this season, which already equals his best total for an entire Bundesliga campaign.
  • Stindl assisted three of the four goals. The last Gladbach player to do that was Rafael in a 4-2 win against Augsburg six years ago.
  • Plea has scored his last four Bundesliga goals in home games, including all three this term.
  • Gladbach are still unbeaten on home soil this season (W4, D2).
  • Fürth are still yet to win in the league in 2021/22.
  • The promoted side are also yet to keep a clean sheet. Cologne are the only other team to have conceded in every game.

Line-ups

Gladbach: Sommer (c) - Ginter, Zakaria, Bensebaini - Herrmann, Neuhaus (Benes 74’), Kone (Noß 89'), Scally (Netz 74’) – Hofmann (Müsel 86’), Stindl (c) (Thuram 74’) – Plea
Unused subs: Sippel, Wolf, Bennetts
Out: Beyer (thigh), Doucoure (Achilles), Elvedi (knee), Embolo (hamstring), Jantschke (facial fracture), Kramer (thigh), Lainer (match fitness)
Coach: Adi Hütter

Fürth: Funk - Meyerhöfer, Sarpei, Griesbeck, Willems (Barry 79’) – Seguin (Seufert 67’), Christiansen, Green (Bauer 46’) - Leweling, Nielsen (Itten 67’), Hrgota (c) (Tillman 46’)
Unused subs: Burchert, Asta, Abiama, Dudziak
Out: Hoogma (knee), Itter (not included), Jung (knee), Ngankam (knee), Viergever (ankle)
Coach: Stefan Leitl