The Foals can’t get into stride. After losing 2-1 at home to Mainz 05, Borussia Mönchengladbach find themselves rock bottom of the table after two games. On the back of a 4-0 hammering in Dortmund, Gladbach disappointed again and are experiencing their second worst ever start to a season in the club’s history, while Mainz redeemed themselves for last week’s home defeat to Bundesliga new boys Ingolstadt.
After striking the woodwork twice in the first half, goals from Jairo (42’) and Christian Clemens (78’) secured a victory for Mainz. In manager Trainer Lucien Favre’s 150th Bundesliga game as Gladbach boss, there were no traces of last season’s enthusiasm on the pitch to be seen. Patrick Hermann’s 54th minute equaliser was the only positive for Gladbach. The Foals haven’t started the season this badly since 1993/94 when they also suffered two defeats and actually had a goal difference of -6 (2:8).
Clever counterattacking from Mainz
The 50,172 spectators in Borussia-Park witnessed a terrific first-half display of clever counterattacking football from the visitors, who barely allowed the Foals a sniff at goal. Only after the break did Borussia up the tempo, but still lost in the end. For the first time since April 2011, Favre’s team are left propping up the Bundesliga table. The anticipation ahead of the Champions League draw on Thursday has been slightly spoilt by this.
Both teams pushed forward to start with – Gladbach with link-up play, Mainz with counterattacks. The only danger however came from the visitors: in the 13th minute, former Gladbach player Yunus Malli hit the post, and the rebound was squandered by Stefan Bell. At the other end, Thorgan Hazard put the ball in the net 22 minutes into the game, only for the referee to controversially disallow the goal due to an offside flag.
Herrmann finishes after good work from Stindl
Borussia continued to press, but lacked ideas and threat. Mainz on the other hand kept threatening, and were unlucky for a second time as new signing Fabian Frei struck the underside of the crossbar 35 minutes in. Shortly after however they got their goal: a driven cross from Christian Clemens found Jairo at the back post who slotted home for Mainz’s first goal of the season.
Borussia came out for the second half with vengeance and soon got their reward through Hermann, justifying his place in the starting XI with a cold strike from the edge of the area into the far corner after a good run and pass from Christian Clemens. Favre’s team controlled the majority of the game but chances for Raffael, Hazard and goalscorer Hermann all went to waste before Clemens eventually punished Gladbach with the winner.
The Foals can’t get into stride. After losing 2-1 at home to Mainz 05, Borussia Mönchengladbach find themselves rock bottom of the table after two games. On the back of a 4-0 hammering in Dortmund, Gladbach disappointed again and are experiencing their second worst ever start to a season in the club’s history, while Mainz redeemed themselves for last week’s home defeat to Bundesliga new boys Ingolstadt.
After striking the woodwork twice in the first half, goals from Jairo (42’) and Christian Clemens (78’) secured a victory for Mainz. In manager Trainer Lucien Favre’s 150th Bundesliga game as Gladbach boss, there were no traces of last season’s enthusiasm on the pitch to be seen. Patrick Hermann’s 54th minute equaliser was the only positive for Gladbach. The Foals haven’t started the season this badly since 1993/94 when they also suffered two defeats and actually had a goal difference of -6 (2:8).
Clever counterattacking from Mainz
The 50,172 spectators in Borussia-Park witnessed a terrific first-half display of clever counterattacking football from the visitors, who barely allowed the Foals a sniff at goal. Only after the break did Borussia up the tempo, but still lost in the end. For the first time since April 2011, Favre’s team are left propping up the Bundesliga table. The anticipation ahead of the Champions League draw on Thursday has been slightly spoilt by this.
Both teams pushed forward to start with – Gladbach with link-up play, Mainz with counterattacks. The only danger however came from the visitors: in the 13th minute, former Gladbach player Yunus Malli hit the post, and the rebound was squandered by Stefan Bell. At the other end, Thorgan Hazard put the ball in the net 22 minutes into the game, only for the referee to controversially disallow the goal due to an offside flag.
Herrmann finishes after good work from Stindl
Borussia continued to press, but lacked ideas and threat. Mainz on the other hand kept threatening, and were unlucky for a second time as new signing Fabian Frei struck the underside of the crossbar 35 minutes in. Shortly after however they got their goal: a driven cross from Christian Clemens found Jairo at the back post who slotted home for Mainz’s first goal of the season.
Borussia came out for the second half with vengeance and soon got their reward through Hermann, justifying his place in the starting XI with a cold strike from the edge of the area into the far corner after a good run and pass from Christian Clemens. Favre’s team controlled the majority of the game but chances for Raffael, Hazard and goalscorer Hermann all went to waste before Clemens eventually punished Gladbach with the winner.
