Borussia open pre-season with a 4-2 win against RW Essen

The Foals celebrated a 4-2 win in their first pre-season friendly against third-division side Rot-Weiss Essen. Marcus Thuram scored twice as head coach Daniel Farke made his touchline debut for Borussia. Alassane Plea also got on the scoresheet, as an Essen own goal rounded off Borussia’s win.

Borussia started pre-season with a 4-2 win in a friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen. Marcus Thuram put the visitors ahead in the 11th minute, before Alassane Plea added a second from the spot (23’). Cedric Harenbrock cut the deficit for the hosts with a long-range effort (25’), before Thuram found the back of the net once again just before the break (41’). Simon Engelmann then got another one back for Essen in the 49th minute, but an own goal from Meiko Sponsel restored the Foals’ two-goal advantage as they celebrated a 4-2 win in head coach Daniel Farke’s first game in charge.

TEAM NEWS:

Tobias Sippel started in goal for the first half. Patrick Herrmann, Jordan Beyer, Marvin Friedrich and Luca Netz lined up as part of a back four, with Florian Neuhaus and Christoph Kramer partnering each other in defensive midfield. New signing Oscar Fraulo made his debut for the Foals in the number 10 spot with Marcus Thuram, Alassane Plea and Lars Stindl in attack.

National team players Yann Sommer, Stefan Lainer, Ramy Bensebaini, Joe Scally, Nico Elvedi, Hannes Wolf, Manu Koné, Jonas Hofmann and Breel Embolo are yet to return to Mönchengladbach, and will join up with the team for training camp in Tegernsee. Several academy players, including Per Lockl, Steffen Meuer, Kushtrim Asallari, Enrique Lofolomo, Tom Gaal, Simon Walde, Phil Kemper and Luiz Skraback were therefore in the squad to face Essen.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

4’: Fraulo finds Herrmann with a pass, as he’s able to play a cross into the six-yard box. A miscommunication between Thuram and Plea leads to the chance fizzling out.

11’: Goal for Borussia! Netz’s low cross finds Thuram at the back post, as he’s able to get it out of his feet and slot it into the back of the net.

13’: Another good chance for the Foals, as Fraulo beats Heber one-on-one, leaving Essen goalkeeper Golz as the lone man standing between him and the net. His shot sails just inches wide of the post.

23’: 2-0 to Borussia! Thuram is taken down by Golz, leaving referee Martin Ulankiewicz with no other option but to point to the spot. Plea steps up and coolly slots it into the bottom left corner.

25’: Essen cut the deficit. Harenbrock takes aim from 20 metres out, leaving Sippel with no chance, although he did manage to get his fingertips to it.

30’: Rother nearly nets the equaliser. The midfielder finds himself wide open in front of goal with only Sippel to beat, but our goalkeeper is equal to his shot, pushing it out for a corner.

34’: Sippel comes up with another save to deny Harenbrock, who was aiming for the far corner.

41’: Plea finds Thuram at the far post, where the striker is able to head in his second of the night!

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

49’: Nicolaus’ misplaced pass is intercepted by Holzweiler. Essen’s number 10 finds Engelmann in the box, as he’s able to tap in to make it 3-2.

51’: Asallari plays a spectacular outside of the boot pass to Walde, but his shot from a tight angle sails wide.

56’: Quizera beats Rüth on the wings and cuts the ball into the middle, where Noß is able to attempt a shot. Kemper deflects it onto the post and out.

60’: A great ball from Lockl find Asallari, who is blocked by Sponsel. However, the ball gets stuck in the defender’s feet as he inadvertently pokes it past his own keeper and into the back of the net. Borussia take a 4-2 lead!

82’: In a near copy of the 56th minute, Quizera cuts the ball back to Noß, who takes aim at the far corner. An Essen defender is able to clear his shot out for a corner, which Borussia are unable to capitalise on.

MATCH STATISTICS:

RW Essen (1st half): Golz – Plechaty, Heber, Bastians, Herzenbruch – Rother, Tarnat – Young, Harenbrock, Loubongo – Berlinski

RW Essen (2nd half): Golz – Rüth, Ríos Alonso, Kourouma, Sponsel – Dürholtz, Tarnat – Kefkir, Holzweiler (69’ Kesim), Krasniqi – Engelmann

Borussia (1st half): Sippel – Herrmann, Beyer, Friedrich, Netz – Kramer, Neuhaus – Thuram, Fraulo, Plea – Stindl

Borussia: (2nd half): Nicolaus – Walde, Gaal, Lofolomo, Kemper – Quizera, Lockl, Reitz, Asallari – Noß, Skraback

Goals: 0-1 Thuram (11’), 0-2 Plea (23’, pen.), 1-2 Harenbrock (25’), 1-3 Thuram (41’), 2-4 Sponsel (60’, OG)

Spectators: 9,390 (Stadion an der Hafenstraße)

Referee: Martin Ulankiewicz (Oberhausen)