Borussia Mönchengladbach have had a long time with the defense of VfL Wolfsburg. Then Jonas Hofmann is successful from the point late – but Wout Weghorst scores even later. Not a good dress rehearsal for Milan.
Mönchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram (r) in a running duel with Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix. Photo: Bernd Thissen / dpa (Image: dpa)
(Photo: Bernd Thissen / dpa)
Mönchengladbach – Borussia Mönchengladbach missed the successful dress rehearsal for the Champions League. Four days before the premier class kick-off at Inter Milan on Wednesday (9 p.m. / DAZN), the Gladbachers did not get beyond 1: 1 (0: 0) despite leading against VfL Wolfsburg.
Jonas Hofmann (78th) scored a penalty to give the hosts the lead in front of 300 spectators, but Wout Weghorst (85th) scored the equalizer – the Wolfsburg guests drew for the fourth time in their fourth game.
«I think we had a good chance, especially in the first half. Wolfsburg had better chances in the second half. The 1: 1 is okay, but we are not satisfied with the point, ”said Gladbach’s defense chief Matthias Ginter at DAZN. VfL newcomer Ridle Baku said: “We have decided to take three points with us. We didn’t succeed. It was a super intense game. We can be satisfied with the point. ”
After the sovereign 3-1 derby win at 1. FC Köln two weeks ago, the Gladbachers did without their recently recovered striker Alassane Plea, who became a father on Saturday night. “There are more important things than football,” said coach Marco Rose, explaining the decision at DAZN. Rose would certainly have liked to have his striker on the team against the strong VfL defense.
Because the four-man defense chain of Wolfsburg with the two newcomers Baku, who was in the starting eleven for the first time, and Maxence Lacroix initially left the Gladbachers little room and was very safe. In the first three Bundesliga games, Wolfsburg had to concede one goal – but only scored one.
After 20 minutes, however, the guests were lucky that the Gladbachers, who got into the game better and more powerful, could not take their first good chance. After a cross from Hofmann, Florian Neuhaus’s header landed on the post. Hofmann, who often caused danger on the right side, was unlucky in the 35th minute that his shot only missed the goal by a few centimeters.
As well as the guest defense worked, the Lower Saxony were able to put little emphasis on the offensive at the beginning. Josip Brekalo was able to prevail over the outside positions one or the other time, but center forward Weghorst, the best VfL goalscorer of the past season with 16 goals, hardly got into the game at first. Borussia goalkeeper Yann Sommer had to prove his skills for the first time in the 47th minute with a shot from Brekalo.
In the Gladbach attack, Embolo, who took the position of Plea, was still lacking the liveliness, and Thuram also had few dangerous scenes. On the other hand, the much more dangerous guests in the second section had good opportunities through Admir Mehmedi (58th) and Maximilian Arnold (62nd), but Sommer was able to parry each time. Hofmann then scored from the point after VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels Thuram had taken off his feet. Weghorst countered late for Wolfsburg.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201017-99-982640 / 3
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