Juan Arango scored one and made another as Mönchengladbach came from behind to beat Nürnberg
Juan Arango scored one and made another as Mönchengladbach came from behind to beat Nürnberg

Foals hit back to beat Nürnberg

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Mönchengladbach - Borussia Mönchengladbach came from behind to beat 1. FC Nürnberg 3-1 in an entertaining game at the Borussia Park.

Lively opening

The hosts struggled to get into their stride in the opening half hour, and found themselves trailing at the break through Josip Drmic’s strike. Juan Arango equalised with a spectacular effort from distance, however, before Nürnberg’s Niklas Stark put through his own net from Arango's cross. Patrick Herrmann then sealed the points for the Foals, leaving Nürnberg languishing at the foot of the Bundesliga table.

The hosts were unchanged from the side that beat Hamburger SV on Matchday 11, but it was Nürnberg that started the game on the front foot. Drmic sprung the offside trap only to shoot wide, before Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved well from Hiroshi Kiyotake's low effort. Markus Feulner’s touch then let him down from the Japan international’s through ball.

The visitors’ frustration was soon at an end, however, as Drmic collected a wonderfully disguised pass from Kiyotake and side-footed home via the inside of the post for his third goal in four games. Borussia had won their previous five matches at home this season, scoring 17 goals in the process, but they barely got going in the opening half-hour. Their passing was inaccurate and Raffael and Max Kruse were utterly starved of service as der Club dominated proceedings.

Nürnberg in control


An Arango free-kick that flew wildly off target rather summed up the Foals’ start to the game but, as the half-time whistle drew nearer, they began to find their range, with the Venezuelan testing Raphael Schäfer with a rasping drive and Kruse dragging a shot wide of the post. The best chances still seemed to be falling to the visitors, with Kiyotake lifting a shot over and Feulner’s header missing the target.

Gladbach no doubt welcomed the interval, but it did little to change the pattern of the game, with Gertjan Verbeek’s team still well on top. After Feulner’s effort from range drifted wide, Drmic was presented with a golden chance to double the lead, but the former FC Zurich player hesitated with just the keeper to beat, allowing Granit Xhaka to dispossess him. Per Nilsson and Adam Hlousek then both went close with headed efforts.

Foals turn it around


The hosts began to threaten a leveller after the hour-mark and after Schäfer had saved brilliantly from Raffael, a moment of inspiration from Arango had them level, the midfield veteran curling a lovely strike into the top corner. Barely three minutes later, they were in front as substitute Niklas Stark turned the former RCD Mallorca man’s wicked free-kick into his own net.

The Bavarians would have considered themselves unlucky to have fallen behind, and their misfortune continued when Drmic’s shot came back off the underside of the bar. The more they pushed for an equaliser, the more exposed they left themselves at the back, however, and Herrmann punished them with a fierce shot three minutes from time, ensuring Borussia returned to fourth place in the table, while Nürnberg remain rooted to the bottom.

Bernie Reeves

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