Borussia Mönchengladbach is in danger of losing touch with the international places in the Bundesliga. At the end of the first half of the season, coach Daniel Farke’s team deservedly lost 0-1 (0-0) after a poor performance at FC Augsburg, who were threatened with relegation, made the wrong start to the new year with their second defeat and continued to stagger towards mid-table. Under-21 European champion Mergim Berisha (82′) scored the hosts’ long-awaited liberation. Coach Enrico Maassen’s team broke their series of eight games without a win with another courageous performance and gained some breathing room in the relegation battle before the start of the second half of the season.
“The team went onto the pitch with a lot of conviction. It was a deserved and important home win,” said sports director Stefan Reuter at Sky. Gladbach was missing national player Jonas Hofmann due to illness. Nathan Ngoumou moved to the right wing position, Hofmann’s place in the starting lineup was taken by Marcus Thuram, who has recovered from knee problems.
However, the “best striker in the Bundesliga”, according to Farke, didn’t get too many chances to excel. While Borussia mostly looked in vain for gaps in the good Augsburg defence, FCA came dangerously in front of the Gladbach goal early on, including through Arne Maier (6th). After a strong counterattack by Berisha (9th), who returned after serving a yellow card suspension, Borussia goalkeeper Jonas Omlin had to intervene for the first time. Meanwhile, his opponent Rafal Gikiewicz saw how his team remained the much more dangerous side in a rather uneventful game until the break. Referee Daniel Schlager took back the supposed opening goal by winter access Dion Beljo (36th) due to an offside position – a millimeter decision.
Augsburg’s dominance continued in the second round; Gladbach barely managed to free himself.