RB Leipzig loses at Borussia Mönchengladbach

FThe game plan creators of the German Football League were actually not known for their dark humor, but allowing RB Leipzig to compete in Mönchengladbach on Halloween evening can be understood as a bad joke. These two clubs have played against each other eight times in the Bundesliga, Borussia has never won, and so far they have always lost at home. A more sinister guest was inconceivable for this evening.

But the Gladbachers were spared a new chapter in the little RB horror. With a hit from Hannes Wolf on loan from Leipzig and after a devoted defensive battle in the final phase, they defeated the Saxons 1-0. “I see myself as a player from Borussia Mönchengladbach and I hope that I’ll be here longer than this year,” said the goalscorer. “I had to wait a long time for this moment. The game today is sure to give you confidence. “

Coach Marco Rose had completely rebuilt the offensive after the rousing 2-2 draw against Real Madrid on Tuesday, only Pléa was left of the offensive quartet from the European Cup. Jonas Hofmann was also on the pitch, but had been withdrawn and was playing on the double six alongside Florian Neuhaus. The national player had good moments there, won a few duels, but also allowed himself to be carried away with daring actions in the build-up of the game.

From this, the Leipzig, who had come under the wheels at Manchester United with 0: 5 during the week, initially could not profit. Because the game of Julian Nagelsmann’s Leipzigers, the adversities of this autumn were also noticeable. For the first time, 18-year-old Lazar Samardzic was in the starting line-up of RB, and the attack was played by Norwegian Alexander Sörloth, whose father Göran once stormed for Borussia in the Bundesliga in the 1980s. But both teams looked a bit weak, they worked, but there was a lack of inspiration and precision.

Leipzig initially more dangerous

“We are now playing in a three-day rhythm with the Champions League and we will meet Leipzig, on Tuesday we will play Schachtar Donetsk and then we will play in Leverkusen,” said Rose before the game, indicating that no one could expect a series of major football festivals . Clear chances were rare, with the Leipzig team looking more dangerous in the first half. The best opportunity was missed by Poulsen, whose header was blocked by Sommer in the Gladbach goal (9th). Borussia scored the only goal before the break, Pléa had scored (43.), but was just offside when he was played.

After the break the game got gruff. The play structure of both teams remained flawed. At least until the 60th minute when the Gladbach team conjured up a wonderful play on the lawn. After an opening by Ramy Bensebaini, who played in central defense after Nico Elvedi had been replaced due to an injury, the ball landed through Oscar Wendt, Pléa and Herrmann at Hannes Wolf, who hit the far corner from ten meters.

Wolf moved from Leipzig to the Lower Rhine in the summer and only slowly arrived in his new team. Now he had scored his first goal for Borussia. After that, the game became more entertaining, Leipzig fought back, Marcel Sabitzer put a 16-meter shot just next to the post (66th), on the other side, the increasingly better Pléa completed a great attack with a shot to the crossbar (67th) . An angry attack by Leipzig followed, but Amadou Haidara (72nd), Sörloth (74th) and Hee-Chan Hwang (88th) were unlucky with their degrees. With this defeat, RB also lost the championship lead to FC Bayern.