Resurgent Borussia Mönchengladbach too good for rock-bottom Heidenheim
Eugen Polanski celebrated his permanent appointment as Borussia Mönchengladbach head coach as the Foals enjoyed an emphatic display against bottom side Heidenheim to secure their third consecutive victory in the Bundesliga.
Heidenheim 0-3 Borussia MönchengladbachGoals: 0-1 Diks (pen. 45+1’), 0-2 Tabaković 55’ (assist: Reitz), 0-3 Machino 76’ (assist: Honorat)
Gladbach arrived at the Voith-Arena with momentum on their side, having won their previous three competitive matches, including Bundesliga victories against St. Pauli and local rivals Cologne, and with Eugen Polanski rewarded with the permanent head coach's job.
Heidenheim, meanwhile, entered the match in desperate need of points, sitting bottom of the table after a 6-0 thrashing against Bayer Leverkusen. All five of their points this season had come at home, though, giving Frank Schmidt's side some hope despite their precarious position.
The first half was an evenly contested affair with few clear-cut chances. Yannik Engelhardt had the first attempt for Gladbach in the eighth minute, but his volley flew over the crossbar. The visitors came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute when Haris Tabaković struck the crossbar from close range after good work by Jens Castrop.
Heidenheim defended resolutely but struggled to create meaningful opportunities, with Arijon Ibrahimović's blocked shot their best effort. As the half appeared to be ending goalless, Gladbach won a corner in the 45th minute.
From the delivery, the referee spotted Jan Schöppner holding Nico Elvedi and immediately pointed to the spot. Kevin Diks stepped up confidently and fired the penalty into the bottom left corner, giving the visitors a crucial 1-0 lead at the break.
Heidenheim started the second half with greater intent and nearly equalised in the 48th minute when Patrick Mainka's header forced a fine save from Moritz Nicolas. However, Gladbach soon took control and doubled their lead with a goal of real quality in the 55th minute.
Castrop played a clever ball into the penalty area, Rocco Reitz flicked it on with his heel, and Tabaković finished clinically into the bottom corner. Florian Neuhaus nearly added a third for Gladbach when his curling effort struck the post.
The visitors put the result beyond doubt in the 76th minute when substitute Shuto Machino, who had replaced Tabaković just four minutes earlier, poked home after a delightful touch from Franck Honorat. The final stages saw an emotional moment as Tim Kleindienst made his return from a six-month injury layoff against his former club, capping off a perfect afternoon for Polanski's men.
Man of the Match: Haris Tabaković
Tabaković was instrumental in Gladbach's victory, continuing his excellent form this season. After being denied by the woodwork in the first half, the Bosnian forward showed his clinical finishing ability by coolly converting his opportunity in the 55th minute to double his team's advantage. His goal, assisted by a clever backheel from Reitz, effectively put the game beyond Heidenheim's reach.
With seven Bundesliga goals already this season, Tabaković has proven to be a worthy replacement for Kleindienst, scoring twice as many goals as he managed for Hoffenheim throughout the whole of last season. His movement, hold-up play and finishing were all exemplary before he was substituted in the 72nd minute.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Heidenheim 0.32 - Mönchengladbach 2.28
Fastest player: Franck Honorat (Gladbach), 33.93 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Kevin Diks (Gladbach), 77 percent
Most pressed player: Jens Castrop (Gladbach), 19 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Adrian Beck (Heidenheim), +4.86
Fantasy Heroes: Kevin Diks (Gladbach, 264 Points), Florian Neuhaus (Gladbach, 235 Points), Haris Tabaković (Gladbach, 224 Points)
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