After being 2-0 down, Borussia Mönchengladbach saved at least one point in the 2-2 win against VfL Wolfsburg.
The injured captain Lars Stindl had lively discussions with Wolfsburg managing director Jörg Schmadtke, coach Adi Hütter mediated between his players and referee Tobias Reichel. After a turbulent final phase and a disallowed goal by Matthias Ginter, the nerves of those involved were on edge after the 2-2 (1-2) between Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg.
Ginter had scored in injury time and thus supposedly crowned the comeback, but Reichel studied the video images and did not recognize the goal after a previous foul by Patrick Herrmann. Hütter missed a liberation with the five-time German champion.
“We have to score a few goals to win games. Sometimes a 1-0 or 2-1 has to be enough for us,” said Gladbach’s international Jonas Hofmann on Sky.
Marcus Thuram (42nd) and substitute Breel Embolo (82nd) gave Borussia at least one point a week after the 0: 6 debacle in Dortmund, the equalizer came after the red card against Maxence Lacroix (70th) in excess. Jonas Wind (6th) and Sebastiaan Bornauw (33rd) gave the Wolves a 2-0 lead.
Lacroix flies after video evidence
Lower Saxony and their coach Florian Kohfeldt mourned the missed victory. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the lead across the finish line,” said sporting director Marcel Schäfer.
After two minutes of silence – one for Gladbach’s young professional Jordi Bongard, who died in an accident, another as a reaction to the war in Ukraine – the 10,000 spectators saw an extremely fast-paced basement duel. Borussia could have taken the lead after 35 seconds through Thuram, but instead fell behind with the visitors’ first chance.
The ball landed at Ridle Baku via Max Kruse, who had scored twice for his former employer Union Berlin just five weeks earlier in Borussia Park. When he crossed in, world champion Matthias Ginter was far too far away from Wind, who scored his second goal in his fourth game for Wolfsburg.
After the early goal, the encounter continued to offer high entertainment value, which was also due to the numerous mistakes made by both teams. The ice-cold Wolfsburg also used their second chance: Bornauw was allowed to head in after a corner in the six-yard box, again Ginter looked bad. Ex-Cologne Bornauw then cheered exuberantly in front of the Gladbach curve, which annoyed goalkeeper Yann Sommer immensely and earned him a yellow card.
Thuram headed in just before the break – it was the Frenchman’s first goal of the season. After the change of sides, Borussia pushed for an equalizer in an open exchange of blows, Ginter failed at goalkeeper Koen Casteels (63rd). Kruse called for penalties on the other side.
Lacroix was the last man to see red after video evidence because of a handball, Gladbach threw everything forward and was rewarded with Embolo. The video evidence prevented the victory.
Borussia Mönchengladbach – VfL Wolfsburg: The line-ups
