Borussia Mönchengladbach continued its upward trend against VfL Wolfsburg on Friday evening (11/10/23) and moved past its rivals in the table. The foals defeated the wolves 4-0 (2-0) at the start of the eleventh matchday.
Tomáš Čvančara made it 1-0 for the home team with his fourth goal of the season (16th), Rocco Reitz made it 2-0 after a big mistake by Koen Casteels (42nd). Casteels was also involved again when Franck Honorat made it 3-0 (64′). A little later, Alassane Pléa increased the score (72′).
“It’s indescribable, I have no words for it”said Rocco Reitz about his first Bundesliga goal at the sports show, “I don’t know how many times I’ve imagined that. I still have to find the right words.” “We made too many mistakes today – offensively and defensively”said an audibly frustrated Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold, “So you have no chance of surviving in the Bundesliga.”
VfL Wolfsburg started the game on the Lower Rhine with more commitment, Mönchengladbach allowed themselves to be pushed into their own half of the game in front of their home crowd. However, this was successful: apart from a shot from Jakub Kamiński, which Moritz Nicolas defused in Gladbach’s box, the guests did not have any significant chances to score.
Gladbach only seemed passive – then ice cold
And after a good quarter of an hour, the hosts showed that Mönchengladbach’s coach Gerardo Seoane’s tactics were working. After a one-two with Pléa, Honorat played his way to the baseline on the right and served Čvančara centrally on the five-man boundary with a sharp, flat cross, which the attacker used ideally.
Gladbach, whose form curve is just as flat but steadily rising, continued to allow little and worked diligently on the second goal. Pléa (18th) and Čvančara (38th) were each denied by Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels.
Casteels with “own goal assist”
But that Casteels played a key role in the hosts’ second goal: one of his passes to his defenders was met by Reitz, who – protected by Pléa – curved towards the Wolfsburg goal and shot in an unstoppable shot to make it 2-0.
After the break, Wolfsburg started the second half of the game with more commitment and this time they had good opportunities to score. Borussia goalkeeper Nicolas first had to clear against Aster Vranckx (46th), then Jonas Wind hit the outside post with a deflected shot.
Wolfsburg plays and Gladbach scores
But when Wolfsburg didn’t want to score again, Gladbach scored their third goal and finally set the course for victory. After a corner from the left, the ball landed on the right edge of the penalty area. Honorat took a low shot, Casteels’ view was somewhat obscured, but Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper only deflected the sharp low shot with a forearm.
With Nicolas Cozza (for the second half), Lovro Majer, Ridle Baku (both 55th) and Vaclav Černý (67th), Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovač brought new impetus – but the Foals scored again, this time after a perfectly completed counterattack – Pléa scored to make it 4-0.
With this success, the Gladbachers overtook Wolfsburg, who are now tied on points, and are now in ninth place in the top half of the table.
Foals in Dortmund, Wolves against Leipzig
Borussia Mönchengladbach has BVB in front of them on matchday 12 (Saturday, November 25th, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). VfL Wolfsburg welcomes the guests from Leipzig at the same time.