Status: 03.02.2021 11:37 p.m.
Thanks 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 second-minute duel between the two Bundesliga clubs after a great solo. The French offensive aces Marcus Thuram (45th + 1) and Alassane Plea (50th) turned the game in favor of the guests.
“That was a tough step, we knew that beforehand. When we scored the second goal, we defended really well. And then the weather also came along,” said Gladbach’s captain Lars Stindl after the game on the ARD microphone. “It’s really difficult to survive here, especially when you fall behind so early,” said VfL coach Marco Rose in the Sportschau, “at the beginning of the game there should be something right there. We didn’t manage that very well today . We have corrected it. ”
VfB takes its first chance to lead
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.
The Gladbachers, where the midfield stars Lars 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.
Chances in short supply in half time one
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).
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.
The last rearing of VfB did not take place
The hosts then intensified their offensive efforts again and came through Sasa Kaladjzic (61st, 65th) to two half header chances – but the Swabians did not rebel against the impending defeat. In the end, Borussia brought home their second away win since the turn of the year when the rain was increasing and also delighted their sporting director Max Eberl, who was part of the game for the first time after a month-long break.
Stuttgart will now play for Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Saturday (February 6, 2021, 3:30 p.m.) on the next matchday. On the same day at 6.30 p.m. there is a special game in Mönchengladbach: The Rhine derby against 1. FC Köln is on.
