Three points at home against Bochum

Borussia Mönchengladbach returned to winning ways in the Bundesliga on matchday 10, seeing out a 2-1 victory over VfL Bochum on Sunday evening.

42,361 fans were at BORUSSIA-PARK hoping to see another performance like in Wednesday’s cup triumph over Bayern, and the Foals were certainly dominant in the first half against VfL Bochum. An unmarked Alassane Plea opened the scoring after 12 minutes with a powerful header, before Jonas Hofmann buried a second to put Gladbach in the driving seat at half time. Adi Hütter’s side took their foot off the gas a little in the second 45, and it looked like it would be a comfortable win until an unstoppable free-kick from Danny Blum in the 86th minute ensured a tense finish. Nevertheless, Borussia held out to maintain their unbeaten home record and pick up a first Bundesliga win in three games.

TEAM NEWS

Adi Hütter made just the one change to his team compared to the cup game against Bayern, replacing the injured Jordan Beyer with Alassane Plea. That meant a change in formation too. Yann Sommer was in goal behind a back-four this time, made up of Ramy Bensebaini, Nico Elvedi, Matthias Ginter and Joe Scally. The midfield pairing of Denis Zakaria and Manu Koné remained untouched, while Breel Embolo took a lone striker role, of course supported by the trio of Jonas Hofmann, Lars Stindl and Alassane Plea.

The Foals were without Jordan Beyer (thigh), Tony Jantschke (facial fractures), Christoph Kramer (thigh), Stefan Lainer (broken ankle) and Mamadou Doucouré (Achilles) due to injury.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

3’: A corner kick from Hofmann produces the first chance of the game as Ginter meets it with a header. It’s central through and Riemann can make a fairly routine save.

12’: There’s the opener! A pinpoint cross from the right flank by Scally finds Plea unmarked in the box and he powers in a header. 1-0 to Gladbach.

17’: The visitors have their first opening through Holtmann on the left-hand side of the box, but he gets his angles all wrong and misses the target by some way.

18’: A quick counterattack is stopped by a last-ditch challenge from Losilla on Plea in the box. The replays show that he played the ball before making contact with the Frenchman.

40’: Another for the Foals! The ball is hoofed long by Stindl on the volley following a throw-in and Plea is quick to race onto it and bring it down just outside the box. Hofmann times his run well and collects Plea’s pass in his stride, before rifling a shot in off the far post. 2-0 to Gladbach.

44’: Zakaria tries his luck from a good 25 yards, but the ball flies comfortably wide of the goal.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

53’: Stindl feeds Plea brilliantly and he has space to shoot, but his precision lets him down this time as the ball slips inches past the upright.

58’: Scally’s delivery from the right looks destined to be turned in by Koné until Lampropoulos manages to clear at the near post at the final moment.

70’: Bochum are starting to offer a threat for the first time in the half. Sommer manages to claw Asano’s curling effort over the crossbar, while the resulting corner sees Lampropoulos fire into the side netting from a tight angle.

74’: That could have wrapped things up. Plea’s defence-splitting pass has Hofmann in behind. He rounds goalkeeper Riemann, but still has the covering Danilo Soares to beat, and his lofted effort is headed away by the Bochum defender.

79’: Substitute Neuhaus has a pop from the edge of the box and Riemann is able to gather it at the second attempt.

86’: Bochum are back in it. Blum thunders a free-kick into the top corner from the edge of the penalty box. Just 2-1 to Gladbach now.

88’: Bensebaini produces an acrobatic volley direct from a corner that is deflected onto the post. Embolo’s rebound is blocked by Riemann, before Thuram then does score from the second rebound, but the flag goes up for offside against Embolo.

90+3’: Boy, that was close! The ball drops to Pantovic in the box and he fires on goal. Luckily, Sommer is able to get behind the shot and protect Borussia’s advantage.

MATCH FACTS

Borussia: Sommer – Scally, Elvedi, Ginter, Bensebaini – Zakaria, Koné (69’ Neuhaus), Hofmann, Stindl (69’ Thuram), Plea (82’ Wolf) – Embolo / Unused subs: Sippel, Netz, Bénes, Herrmann, Müsel, Bennetts

Bochum: Riemann – Gamboa (46’ Stafylidis), Masovic, Lampropoulos, Danilo Soares – Losilla, Löwen (76’ Pantovic), Rexhbecaj, Asano (76’ Antwi-Adjei), Holtmann (46’ Blum) – Polter (83’ Novothny)

Goals: 1-0 Plea (12’), 2-0 Hofmann (40’), 2-1 Blum (86’)

Attendance:  42,361

Yellow cards: Wolf – Masovic

Referee: Tobias Reichel (Sindelfingen)

Breel Embolo and Lars Stindl celebrate with Alassane Plea after his opening goal
Jonas Hofmann scored Borussia's decisive second goal
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