Gladbach fail to test Endres throughout the game and were seemingly lucky against a very good Kickers side, goals from Kruse and Hermann enough to send them into the next round.
Kickers Offenbach had the opening chances of the game causing some concern for Gladbach, Markus Muller played it to Christian Cappek on the left side, he jinked inside, his shot whizzed over the bar, he couldn’t quite keep it down. Kickers won a corner, Benjamin Pintol delivered, Giuilano Modica who headed goal wards met his delivery but he couldn’t quite divert it on goal. Yann Sommer saved brilliantly Markus Muller’s right-footed effort, his strike looked destined for the bottom right corner.
The visitors exchanged some pressure; Christoph Kramer received a pass from Thorgan Hazard, his left footed strike just wide of the right hand side of the post. Granit Xhaka had a free kick in a very dangerous position, but his left footed strike was high and wide. Gladbach could only create half chances, the first of which Thorgan Hazard who failed to keep his strike down from the centre of the box, following Oscar Wendt’s cross landed perfectly at the Belgians feet.
Kickers caused even more discomfort for the visitors before the break, Pintol delivered from a corner, again. It fell to Christian Cappek who tried bending it into the far corner but he scuffed his effort and it flew high and wide. Pintol was then involved again but this time he had the closest chance of the half, Röser played his free kick to Pintol who picked his spot in the top corner but he couldn’t quite pick out the top right corner of Sommer’s goal.
Before the break, Gladbach had a chance to go in undeserved leaders through Summer signing Andre Hahn after Max Kruse picked him out but Hahn drilled his effort wide.
After the restart, it took Gladbach six minutes to break the deadlock. Markus Muller handled according the referee following Christoph Kramer’s strike. Max Kruse stepped up and brilliantly placed his penalty into the top corner.
Following the goal, Gladbach pushed on to avoid defeat, Andre Hahn picked up the remains from Max Kruse’s corner, his shot from out side the box, again is high and wide. Max Kruse also failed to keep his shot down but once again poor finishing from Gladbach costing them. Patrick Hermann had a golden chance to double the lead twenty minutes from time, Max Kruse picked him out in the six yard box but he buckled under the pressure and hit his effort over the bar. Seven minutes from time, Hermann this time took his chance and doubled Gladbach’s lead. Patrick Hermann was picked out by Christoph Kramer and from a tight angle, Hermann rifled into the top right corner of Endres’ goal.
