Borussia Mönchengladbach had two hopes on Friday evening, but the VAR thwarted their plans each time. There was a goalless draw in the Bundesliga against an overall harmless RB Leipzig.
The Gladbachers were closer to scoring. However, Franck Honorat’s supposed opening goal (48th minute of the game) was just offside and the VAR intervened. He also had something against it when Shuto Machino went down in the penalty area and referee Timo Gerach initially whistled a penalty (74th). Both VAR interventions were correct – and the game ended in a draw.
Gladbach’s Reitz: “It’s annoying with the VAR”
After three Bundesliga series in a row, Mönchengladbach also scored points against a top Bundesliga team and climbed, at least temporarily, to eleventh place (13 points). “We defended it well“, Gladbach’s captain Rocco Reitz told Sportschau – and commented on the key scenes: “It’s annoying with the VAR. When it came to the 911, I knew it wasn’t one, I had seen that. When it came to offside, I heard that it was very, very close. But that’s what the VAR is there for.”
Leipzig remain second in the table. “There weren’t many chances. We didn’t score enough and were too imprecise in the final third. But I’m very happy with the way we defended“, said guest coach Ole Werner.
Fan protests and few chances to score
In Mönchengladbach, both fan camps are also protesting against planned tightening of security measures in stadiums. The game started without any chants from the stands, but that didn’t seem to hurt the hosts. Gladbach got into the game well, showed themselves to be active and strong in duels, but were unable to create dangerous situations.
Because Leipzig, on the other hand, couldn’t get its dangerous winger Antonio Nusa and Yan Diomandé into the game, the game was characterized by midfield duels. There were good approaches on both sides, but the offensive players in the front line regularly made wrong decisions – or the defenders got a foot on the ball in difficult situations.
Leipzig was able to gain a slight advantage (6:1 shots on goal at the break), but Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas’ goal was not in serious danger in the first half. A long-range shot from Conrad Harder, who again replaced Romulo (irritated hamstring), just missed the goal (36′).
Most dangerous Leipziger: 24 million new signing Harder
Very thinly offside: Honorat’s goal for Gladbach is disallowed
Right at the start of the second half, the game was more explosive than in the entire first half. After a long ball from the defense, Rocco Reitz extended into the path of Franck Honorat, whose deflected shot hit the bottom right corner. The Gladbachers celebrated the counterattack goal with great enthusiasm, but the VAR conceded the goal due to a very thin offside position of Honorat.
Just offside: Franck Honorat’s goal is taken back
But Borussia stuck with it and created further decent scoring opportunities on counterattacks and from set pieces. Leipzig looked impressed – and needed some time to find their way into the second half. The guests had the majority of possession, but Gladbach, as in previous weeks, knew how to narrow the spaces, stay compact and unnerve their opponents.
Penalty against Leipzig? The VAR intervenes again
Things then got tricky again in the Leipzig penalty area: Machino went down in a duel with visiting captain Willi Orban. After a moment’s hesitation, Gerach pointed to the penalty spot. But because Orban had clearly hit the ball next to Machino, the VAR overturned Gerach’s decision – rightly so.
In the exciting final phase, Leipzig had its best chance: Diomandé used David Raum, who was running behind, on the left of the penalty area, and the German international took a powerful shot towards the far corner – and hit the inside post. It was by far Leipzig’s best chance of the game.
Shortly before the end of the 90 minutes, Polanski brought in Gladbach’s hopeful Tim Kleindienst, who is slowly being reintroduced to the team after a long injury break. But Leipzig were in charge in the final moments of the game. But Gladbach’s strong defense (one goal conceded in the last four games) held.
Gladbach against St. Pauli, Leipzig against Magdeburg
Gladbach welcomes FC St. Pauli in the DFB Cup on Tuesday evening (6 p.m.). Leipzig will also face second division Magdeburg in the DFB Cup later in the evening (9 p.m.).