Six goals after the break: Foals win 5-2 against Viktoria Köln

The Foals won their third game of preseason as they beat third-division side Viktoria Köln 5-2 on Wednesday.

Feeling at home on the FohlenPlatz pitch, it was Florian Neuhaus who gave Borussia the lead shortly before half-time (40’). Gladbach went through the gears in the second half, punishing Viktoria with a further four goals. First there was a quickfire double from Jonas Hofmann (58’) and Lars Stindl (61’) before Joe Scally (72’) bagged another. Hofmann put the finishing touches on a goalfest with a penalty in the 86th minute. Patrick Sontheimer (64’) and Ben-Nicholas Hompesch (83’) scored for the visitors.

LINE-UP

Daniel Farke settled on the following starting line-up: Moritz Nicolas started between the sticks with Stefan Lainer, Marvin Friedrich, Nico Elvedi and Hannes Wolf in the back four. Christoph Kramer partnered Florian Neuhaus in midfield with Patrick Herrmann, Torben Müsel and Alassane Plea ahead of them. Conor Noß started as the lone striker.

TEAM NEWS

Farke had to do without Luca Netz for this one as the full-back is currently training individually. Also missing were Manu Koné (rehab training), Ramy Bensebaini (coronavirus) und Rocco Reitz (ill) as well as Jacob Italiano and Jordan Beyer, who had both previously missed the friendly against 1860 Munich (6-0) through injury.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

18’: A really good chance for Borussia: Plea lays it square for the arriving Hannes Wolf who fires over the bar.

36’: Risse plays in Lankford, who outpaces Elvedi to get through on goal. With just Nicolas to beat, our ‘keeper makes himself big and manages to make the save. Good work, Moritz!

40’: Borussia lead! Plea sets Neuhaus free in the middle. Flo collects the ball and then curls it into the bottom right corner from 25 yards. 1-0 to the Foals!

43’: Another chance! Plea’s probing ball finds Noß who takes the ball on the turn. The ball gets away from him, though, and Voll comes in to clean up for Viktoria.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

55’: Walde sees his shot cleared off the line. Hofmann measures a follow-up effort but sees it come back off the bar.

58’: There’s the second goal! First Stindl shoots at Viktoria goalie Voll before it falls to Hofmann. He lets fly and the deflected effort loops up and into the back of the net.

61’: Borges Sanches scoops the ball into the box where it reaches Stindl after a touch from Thuram. The skipper volleys home a beauty from the edge of the box!

65’: Viktoria cut the deficit: Nicolas makes a mistake in the build-up play and Sontheimer punishes him. 3-1.

72’: Hofmann cross from the right wing. A tasty delivery reaches Scally at the back stick. The American just has to get a foot on it - and it’s 4-1 to the Foals!d

83’: Viktoria score again. A cross from the right reaches substitute Hempesch who makes no mistake.

86’: A foul by Siebert on Scally causes the referee to point to the spot. Hofmann picks up the ball and fires it into the bottom right corner.

STATISTICS

Borussia: Nicolas – Lainer (46' Walde), Friedrich (46' Jantschke), Elvedi (46' Itakura), Wolf (46' Scally) – Kramer, Neuhaus (46' Fraulo) – Herrmann (46' Hofmann), Müsel (46' Stindl), Plea (46' Thuram) – Noß (46' Borges Sanches)

Viktoria: Voll – Heister (46' Palacios), Dietz (46' de Meester), Grieger (70' Engelhardt), May (46' Siebert) – Risse (46' Klefisch), Lankford (46' Hemcke), Sontheimer (70' Hompesch), Fritz (46' Hong), Amyn (70' Kubatta) – Philipp (46' Koronkiewicz)

Goals: 1-0 Neuhaus (40'), 2-0 Hofmann (58'), 3-0 Stindl (61'), 3-1 Sontheimer (65'), 4-1 Scally (72'), 4-2 Hompesch (83'), 5-2 Hofmann (86', penalty)

Attendance: 1,523

Patrick Herrmann fights for the ball
Christoph Kramer acted as captain for the first half.
Jonas Hofmann celebrates a goal alongside Marcus Thuram.

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