DThanks to its top French duo, Borussia Mönchengladbach remained unbeaten in the seventh competitive game of the year and made it into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup for the first time since 2017. Coach Marco Rose’s team won at VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday 2: 1 (1: 1) despite an early deficit. Shooting star Silas Wamangituka scored for VfB in the last 16 duel between the two Bundesliga clubs in the second minute after a great solo. The French offensive aces Marcus Thuram (45th + 1) and Alassane Plea (50th) turned the game in favor of the guests.
“It’s really difficult to survive here, especially when you fall behind so early,” said Rose on ARD. “Mach should be right there at the beginning of the game. We didn’t manage that so well today. We have corrected it. ”His captain Lars Stindl was mostly relieved. “That was a real cup fight. It’s a good feeling to win here, ”he said.
VfB, in which veteran Daniel Didavi replaced captain Gonzalo Castro with an injured thigh in midfield, used his first attack to take the lead. As in the 2-0 win against FSV Mainz 05 in the league last Friday, Wamangituka was unstoppable in his run over half the place. When he arrived in the penalty area, he let his opponent Stefan Lainer slip into the void and then carefully pushed into the right corner. It was already the 13th competitive goal of the Congolese this season.
“You look like a complete idiot”
The Gladbachers, where the midfield stars Stindl and Florian Neuhaus had returned to the starting lineup, needed a good quarter of an hour before they were dangerous – but then right away. Thuram brought the ball over the right wing into the six-yard box, where VfB defender Waldemar Anton was just able to prevent an own goal by his colleague Konstantinos Mavropanos. The first half remained competitive, but not promising. Borussia had a lot of possession, but few brilliant ideas.
In stoppage time of the first round, however, the guests found the gap. Thuram came back on the right, pulled past Marc Oliver Kempf after a pass from Stindl and executed halfway up into the left corner. Shortly before, another VfB goal by Didavi was rightly not given due to offside (45th).
Cool water from above: Borussia Mönchengladbach defies the rain.
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Image: dpa
The Gladbach opening goal by Plea five minutes after the break was suspect, but still compliant with the rules. After a mistake in the Stuttgart build-up, Lainer sent the 27-year-old over the right side – and he also benefited from the fact that VfB goalkeeper Bredlow slipped away while running out. “You look like a complete idiot,” said Stuttgart keeper the TV broadcaster Sky.
The hosts then intensified their offensive efforts again and came through Sasa Kaladjzic (61st, 65th) to two header chances. In the end, Borussia brought home their second away win since the turn of the year in increasing heavy rain, even if the wet surface and deep grass repeatedly led to hectic situations on the field, and thus also pleased their sports director Max Eberl, who for the first time after his one month Time out was part of the game again.
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