Borussia Mönchengladbach rolled back the years as they beat Bremen at the Weserstadion for the first time since 1987, thanks to a brace from Brazilian forward Raffael. With qualification for the Champions’ League group stage on the line for die Fohlen for the first time since 1978, too, Saturday afternoon will have been a memorable afternoon for fans of the club. Meanwhile, another stumble for Bremen have left die Werderaner with a tall task in qualifying for the Europa League; they’ll need a huge result against Dortmund next week to stand any chance of playing in Europe next season.
The game started with both teams looking to assert some sort of dominance, and the home side had the first chance as Davie Selke, in his final home game for the club, headed onto the roof of the net. Not long later, Granit Xhaka drew a smart save from Koen Casteels.
Oscar Wendt nearly forced a breakthrough as his low cross was turned onto the post by outgoing Bremen skipper Prödl, but the Austrian managed to hack the ball away at the second time of asking before any further danger could be created. Borussia dominated the ball throughout proceedings in the first half but could only create one further clear cut opportunity, with birthday boy Alvaro Dominguez nearly firing home at the first post but being foiled by Casteels.
The teams went goalless into the changing rooms at half time but the scoreline wasn’t to stay that way for long. As in the first half, Bremen had the first clear-cut chance after the break, with Franco Di Santo forcing a sensational save from Yann Sommer, but moments later Borussia were ahead.
Borussia broke with pace, a shot from Xhaka blocked by the Bremen defence but only as far as Max Kruse who paced past the defence from a wide position before squaring to partner in crime Raffael, who applied the slightest of touches to bundle the ball over the line. The finish was a little scrappy, but the lead was probably deserved on run of play; as it stood, Borussia were storming towards the group stages of the Champions’ League.
Die Fohlen continued to dominate proceedings but allowed Bremen a fistful of good chances as Sternberg and Öztunali went close, but Borussia managed to seal the game with just a few minutes left as Raffael doubled the lead and his personal tally for the afternoon after excellent play by substitute Andre Hahn and poor defending by Assani Lukimya.
With the game sealed, both teams head into the final matchday with different tasks ahead of them; while Borussia can relax and perhaps hope for a second placed finished if results elsewhere are favourable, Bremen will have to pull out all the stops to reach Europe and complete a near-resurrection from their start of season fate.