Kevin Diks penalty fires struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach past Union Berlin
Kevin Diks scored from the penalty spot in added time as Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated Union Berlin 1-0 at Borussia-Park, earning their first Bundesliga victory in eight matches.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Diks 90'+4 (pen)
Heading into this crucial Bundesliga encounter, Gladbach were desperate to turn their fortunes around after a dismal run of seven games without victory had left them perilously close to the relegation zone. Union, meanwhile, arrived with renewed confidence after ending their own seven-game winless streak with a surprise victory over Leverkusen the previous week. The match marked a significant milestone for 17-year-old Wael Mohya, who was handed his first-ever Bundesliga start for the Foals.
Early Gladbach pressure
The hosts immediately set about establishing their dominance, controlling possession and creating the first meaningful chance after seven minutes. Jens Castrop found himself with a glorious opportunity inside the box after clever work from Rocco Reitz, but Union captain Christopher Trimmel produced a vital block. Union goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow was soon called into action, making an excellent save to deny Haris Tabaković's powerful header in the 16th minute. The Serbian striker, responsible for 42% of Gladbach's goals this season, saw another headed attempt sail wide just before the interval, while Diks also went close with a header that missed the target in stoppage time.
Frustration builds for dominant hosts
Gladbach's territorial advantage continued after the break as they relentlessly probed Union's stubborn defensive block. The hosts thought they had finally broken through when Diks found the net midway through the second half, but their celebrations were cut short as VAR confirmed Reitz was offside in the build-up.
As time ticked away, Rønnow enhanced his claim for Man of the Match with a remarkable double save, first parrying Reitz's deflected effort before reacting brilliantly to deny Shuto Machino's point-blank follow-up.
With a goalless draw looking increasingly likely, the decisive moment arrived in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Hugo Bolin was fouled in the penalty area by Stanley Nsoki. After a VAR review, referee Matthias Jöllenbeck pointed to the spot, and Diks stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty, sending Rønnow the wrong way to spark jubilant scenes around Borussia-Park.
Man of the Match: Frederik Rønnow
Despite ending on the losing side, Rønnow produced a performance of the highest calibre to earn Man of the Match honours.
The Denmark international made seven saves throughout the 90 minutes, including a spectacular double stop to deny Reitz and Machino in the closing stages that seemed certain to have secured his side a valuable point. His sharp reflexes thwarted Tabaković's powerful header in the first half, while his commanding presence gave confidence to a defence that had to withstand 19 shots from the determined hosts.
The fact that Gladbach's xG of 3.03 resulted in just a single penalty goal speaks volumes about Rønnow's remarkable display between the posts.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Gladbach 3.03 - Union 0.14
Fastest player: Oliver Burke (FCU), 34.84 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Kevin Diks (Borussia Mönchengladbach), 77 percent
Most pressed player: Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach), 18 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Philipp Sander (Borussia Mönchengladbach), +3.53
Fantasy Heroes: Kevin Diks (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 347 Points), Philipp Sander (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 241 Points), Frederik Rønnow (Union Berlin, 335 Points)
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