Bayern Munich continued their dominance at the top of the Bundesliga as Gladbach's unbeaten run at their home of Borussia Park comes to an abrupt end. Injuries to key trio Franck Ribery, Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger meant they did not travel to the opening game of 2014 in the German's top tier, but influential defender Tony Jantschke was unable to start in defence, (which would have given Mönchengladbach an unchanged side for a record breaking 8th time), so Spaniard Alvaro Dominguez appeared in his first match for Die Fohlen since October.

Favre's side started brightly, an early costless kick from Juan Arango meet captain Martin Stranzl's head only to be cleared by Bayern's defence, whilst a long ball from 21 year old star Marc Andre Ter Stegen nearly found Max Kruse, who just couldn't get enough contact on the ball before Neuer rushed out to greet his fellow German.

The first real chance of the match fell to Mario Götze, the figure of the most controversial move of the summer, joining from München's rivals Borussia Dortmund in a €37m move. Fantastic play from team mate Thomas Müller found Götze, and clumsy positioning from Dominguez allowed Bayern's new wonder-kid to lift the ball over the Spaniard, but ter Stegen did finely to rush out and force Götze to narrowly miss the target, the ball brushing the left hand post and it trickled wide. 

You would assume Gladbach would learn to mark the nimble 21 year old, but soon after that near miss you'd find yourself shaking your head. An immense cross by the impressive Müller located Götze in acres of space and he curled the ball home into the left hand corner with 7 minutes gone, leaving ter Stegen helpless.


Gladbach struggled to cope with Bayern's incredible pressuring and dominance of the ball, only mustering a deflected Arango effort which Neuer collected to prevent the ball going out of play. Toni Kroos then struck a fierce 25 yard effort at Borussia's goal, which was smothered at the second time of asking by the goalkeeper. Then Rafinha, who spent long periods of the first half in Gladbach territory, squared the ball across the field to Swiss wide man Xherdan Shaqiri, who had noticed Thiago make a dangerous dart into the box. Shaqiri attempted to swing the ball towards the Spanish midfielder through Julian Korb's legs, but he dealt well with the threat (unlike his counter part across the field, Oscar Wendt, who was having  a torrid time) blocking  and forcing a corner. Following that the ball fell to Philipp Lahm just outside the 18 yard box, who laid the ball off cleverly to Rafinha, with the Brazilian hitting a rasping 30 yard drive which was excellently saved to his left side by ter Stegen, who was being kept busy by constant waves of Bayern assaults on his goal. 

Mönchengladbach's marking was very narrow, which allowed space on either wing for Bayern to cut inside or cross the ball into dangerous areas. The threat that Müller and Shaqiri were causing made it very difficult for Die Fohlen to get out of their own half, combined with the fact the fantastic talents of the likes of Philipp Lahm, Thiago, David Alaba and Rafinha were pushing themselves high up the pitch and dictating play. Guardiola's outfit were cutting through the defence like a knife through butter and could imagine Favre's fears that sooner rather than later Bayern were going to add to Götze's goal.

More fabulous football from Müller saw his backheel find Götze, his shot ever so close to doubling his tally for the evening, inches over the crossbar, despite his insistence that a deflection had taken the ball over the goal. Thiago then resorted to dirty work when Christoph Kramer did well to dispossess the signing from Barcelona before being immedietaly fouled.

There was little to excite the home faithful, Borussia's first meaningful attack as Patrick Herrmann, apparently being watched by Manchester United manager David Moyes in the crowd, darted away down the right wing, looked to find the eye catching Korb who had advanced into the Bayern half, but Herrmann's final ball let him down, a common feat in the past. Arango then accidentally left Philipp Lahm on the ground resulting in a harmless Xherdan Shaqiri costless kick. The best moment of the half at that point for Gladbach occurred soon after, some neat play from Herrmann found Raffael, who had been anonymous in the first half, who won a fortunate costless kick after losing the ball, his leg being caught by Jerome Boateng. Up stepped the Venzeulan costless kick specialist, Messer Arango who certainly tested Manuel Neuer, a powerful drive at the Bayern goal, though straight down the middle, and the German international no.1 tipped over.

Thiago and Müller continued to cause substantial problems, and after laudable work deep in the opposition half from the pair, the former found Shaqiri in space (the usual under study to Arjen Robben, a substitute for the game). The former Basel winger swung in a delicious cross, intended for the eager Götze, but Oscar Wendt, who was having from far his best game, intercepted superbly, stopping yet another potential goal for the dazzling German.

Mönchengladbach then so, so nearly got back into the game, undeservedly, in truth, but as Max Kruse drifted out onto his favoured left side and through the legs of ex Gladbach defender Dante, there was a glimmer of hope in the home stand. Unfortunately, It was Manuel Neuer in goal, and he exquisitely pushed Kruse's effort onto the post, with Bayern management furious Kruse was allowed the space and time to attempt the effort. 

Borussia began to slowly get back into the contest as half time approached. The industrious Christoph Kramer excellently intercepted another Bayern swarm on ter Stegen's goal, before dancing his way past Boateng and threading the ball through to Raffael. The Brazilian then laid the ball off for Arango who blasted home towards goal but Neuer's fingertips conserved what could go on to be his 10th clean sheet from 17 matches this season. The opportunity was there for Herrmann to take a second chance but he slipped as the ball was cleared away.  A strong end to the first half, and with the scoreline being kept down to 0-1, Lucien Favre may have felt Die Fohlen were still very much in this.

Gladbach began the second half in a similar fashion to how they ended the first. After Granit Xhaka won a throw in, Christoph Kramer received the ball and played a wonderful pass to the awaiting Herrmann, who had done well to get into space. Herrmann noticed Kruse running into position in the box, his cross just evading Kruse as Neuer collected. Bayern retaliated with another attack fronted by a certain Mario stopped again by the Swedish defender Wendt. A fine cross from Rafinha found Müller but the save was comfortable for once, for ter Stegen. Thiago continued to impress Guardiola in only his 5th start this season, this time a rasping drive from 25 yards that bounced right in front of ter Stegen, who did incredibly well to save. Bayern constantly tried to tire out ter Stegen, Xhaka giving the ball away in the 53rd minute, allowing Mario Götze to angle a drive towards Gladbach's goal, only for the 21-year-old to be denied again, before Xherdan Shaqiri attempted to bundle him a follow up strike, which ter Stegen tremendously kept out. A battle for the ball ensued before Xhaka handled and Bayern were awarded a penalty. One of the main men on the pitch, Thomas Müller, stepped up and converted to the left hand side, deservedly putting the Bavarians two goals to the good.

The Foals would not let their heads drop as they searched to halve the deficit to 1 goal again. Herrmann delivered a fine pass accross the Borussia Park pitch to the work horse that is Max Kruse, and the 25-year-old drove the ball towards the right hand corner, but Neuer, who had dealt with anything that had come his way, positioned himself well and smothered the ball. Kruse persisted in trying to assist others as well as attempting myself to beat the Bayern defence, working well with Arango on the left wing. The Venezuelan worked it off to Wendt, the left back returned the ball, putting Arango in a fine position near the edge of the box, and that sumptous left foot curled in a delightful cross for Herrmann, who was wasteful and shot horribly wide.

It was then Bayern's turn to test the young Gladbach defence again. Götze did superbly under pressure before attempting to dart into the bock, only to be stopped by a shove from the robust Kramer. Shaqiri, who had grown more and more into the game, crossed in for Brazilian centre back Dante, but the 30-year-old's effort wasn't strong enough to beat an imposing figure in ter Stegen, who beat the header away. Gladbach's best move of the match followed, as an absolutely phenomenal ball through by the ever impressive Kramer fell to Herrmann, who raced through and fired accross Neuer only to see his fantastic attempt rattle off the left hand post and away. Devastating for Herrmann and Mönchengladbach, whose faint hopes of rescuing the game were most certainly fading.

It was simple not to be young Herrmann's night, as after a divine cross-field pass from Kruse met Raffael, he tucked the ball through to Herrmann, who fluffed his chance, arguably his easiest chance, to pull a goal back for Favre's side. 

Bayern looked comfortable to sit back and take a 2-0 win, with David Alaba firing straight at ter Stegen. Substitutions were needed to liven up the game, and Swedish U21 international Branimir Hrgota arrived onto the scene, departing was Patrick Herrmann, who, despite a relatively good performance, though lacking in quality for his final ball, was sure to be disappointed. Favre's substitution looked for a moment to be an inspired one, with Hrgota playing a delightful one-two with Raffael, before lining up a fierce strike towards Neuer's top left hand corner, but Dante did well to intercept. Bayern decided to try and increase their goal difference with three very attacking substitutions: Claudio Pizarro for Mario Götze, Pierre Hojbjerg for Toni Kroos,  and Xherdan Shaqiri for Arjen Robben, back from a 7 week injury, much to the delight of Bayern fans and football fans alike. 

Young Hrgota was again involved as Kruse's good work located the Swede inside the box, but he was too hesistant with his decision making and Philipp Lahm managed to get the ball out for a corner in time. Pizarro seemed to still be an effective player at the age of 35, doing well to find Alaba who shot into the side netting, before lax marking from Oscar Wendt allowed Pizarro to turn to shoot and surely score, but ter Stegen shows why the likes of Barcelona are pursuing him by pulling off yet another fine save, blocking the Peruvian's goal bound strike and then collecting the ball.

The final event of a very entertaining match was a costless kick on the outside of the box, won thanks to a needless hand ball from Dante. Arango's take was on it's way into Manuel Neuer's safe hands, until Xhaka pointless crashed into his waist, awarding Bayern a costless kick, and soon after, the full whistle blew.

Max Kruse said of his side's defeat: "Today we were pushed to our limits & Bayern dominated us. Right now, they're a class apart."



 
 

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About the author
Callum Connolly
17 year old Southend United fan. Follower of Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga.