Foals well beaten in Dortmund

Saturday’s Bundesliga Topspiel on matchday 32 ended in a 5-2 defeat for Borussia Mönchengladbach away in Dortmund. Ramy Bensebaini and Lars Stindl got on the scoresheet for the Foals in the second half.

The hosts raced into a fifth-minute lead in front of over 81,000 fans at the Signal Iduna Park, with Malen nodding in from close range. Gladbach came close to an equaliser through Ramy Bensebaini’s low shot, but BVB were then quickly out of sight. Jude Bellingham converted a penalty after a foul by Florian Neuhaus (18’), followed almost immediately by a Sebastien Haller back-heel flick to make it 3-0 (20’). The Frenchman struck again with a first-time finish to leave the Foals trailing by four at the break (32’).

Borussia set about trying to correct their first-half performance and were far more solid defensively after Farke brought on Itakura and switched to a back-three. The Foals were only able to reduce the deficit with quarter of an hour to play, however, with Ramy Bensebaini winning and then converting a penalty (75’). Dortmund then looked shaky for a period, with Luca Netz coming close, before fellow substitute Lars Stindl buried a second Gladbach goal (86’). It was BVB who had the final say though, with Giovanni Reyna tucking away a rebound in the final minute of added time (90+4’).

TEAM NEWS

Daniel Farke was forced into making two changes to the side that won 2-0 at home against VfL Bochum last weekend. Jonas Omlin was sidelined with muscular problems and so Jan Olschowsky deputised in goal. A yellow-card suspension also kept out Alassane Plea, with Hannes Wolf handed his spot. Otherwise, there were no absentees for Daniel Farke, who also had Marcus Thuram back at his disposal following an adductor strain.

FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

5’: BVB take the lead with their first chance. Haller works some space at the edge of the box and takes aim. The shot is blocked by Bensebaini, but Malen races onto the rebound to nod the ball over the line. 1-0 to Dortmund.

12’: Almost the equaliser. Bensebaini is played in on the left of the area, cuts inside onto his right foot and fires low at goal. Kobel is quick to get low and parries the shot away.

13’: Dortmund break with Bellingham, whose curling shot flies narrowly wide of the target.

18’: Haller collects the ball just inside the penalty box and is bundled into by the recovering Neuhaus. Referee Schlager awards a spot-kick and Bellingham steps up to convert. 2-0 to Dortmund.

20’: A quickfire double. Brandt sends Malen to the byline, and his cutback is cleverly flicked in by Haller with his heel. 3-0 to Dortmund.

22’: Hannes Wolf tries to find room to shoot 20 yards out, but his effort is blocked away for a corner.

27’: Ngoumou dribbles inside from the left flank and looks to curl a shot beyond Kobel, only to fire beyond the post as well.

32’: Malen finds Haller with a cross and a powerful first-time finish leaves Olschowsky with no chance. 4-0 to Dortmund.

36’: Friedrich’s header on target is spilled by Kobel, and the ball eventually comes back his way via a shot from Neuhaus – this time the Swiss goalkeeper holds on to the ball.

37’: Malen lines up an effort from distance that Olschowsky is able to keep out at full stretch.

SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS

48’: A corner drops to Neuhaus just outside the box and his snapshot isn’t far wide of the target.

54’: Olschowsky with a great save. Bellingham’s strike has plenty of power behind it, but the Gladbach keeper gets down quickly and keeps it out.

75’: Bensebaini is brought down by Reyna and a penalty is given. The Algerian steps up himself and commandingly buries the spot-kick. 4-1.

76’: Almost a second straightaway! Netz is played in behind by Stindl and tries to dink the ball over Kobel, but his shot doesn’t have enough momentum and is cleared before the line by Süle.

86’: Another goal back! Netz times his run well to latch onto the ball on the left-hand side of the box. He cuts back and spots Stindl in space, and the captain fires a thunderous shot past Kobel. 4-2.

90+4’: Reus’ free-kick from 20 yards is too hot for Olschowsky to hold onto, and Reyna follows it in. 5-2 to Dortmund.

MATCH FACTS

Borussia: Olschwosky – Lainer, Friedrich, Elvedi (82’ Jantschke), Bensebaini – Weigl, Koné (75’ Netz) – Hofmann, Neuhaus (68’ Kramer), Wolf (46’ Itakura) – Ngoumou (75’ Stindl) // Unused subs: Sippel, Herrmann, Thuram, Scally

Dortmund: Kobel – Wolf, Süle, Hummels (59’ Özcan), Ryerson (59’ Guerreiro) – Can – Bellingham, Brandt (68’ Reus) – Malen (68’ Reyna), Adeyemi – Haller (79’ Moukoko) // Unused subs: A. Meyer, N. Schlotterbeck, Modeste, Passlack

Goals: 1-0 Malen (5’), 2-0 Bellingham (18’, pen.), 3-0 Haller (20’), 4-0 Haller (32’), 4-1 Bensebaini (75’, pen.), 4-2 Stindl (86’), 5-2 Reyna (90+4’)

Attendance: 81,365

Yellow cards: Bensebaini, Kramer

Referee: Daniel Schlager