Matchday 13 - Schmadtke praises Gladbach mentality after late 2:1 win
Hardly anyone at Borussia Mönchengladbach had expected this three-point haul.
When winger and pace player Nathan Ngoumou scored the 2:1 winner against TSG Hoffenheim in the closing stages in his unfamiliar role as center forward, the jubilation was unusually high. "That was a very important win today. Of course we had the luck of the game. But compliments on how the team dealt with all the personnel difficulties," said coach Gerardo Seoane after the fourth competitive home win in a row and the leap into the top half of the table.
Sporting director Nils Schmadtke was also impressed by the team's performance. In addition to Julian Weigl and Maximilian Wöber, the two attacking leaders Jordan Siebatcheu and Tomas Cvancara were also absent at short notice. "That wasn't easy. But we showed a good mentality and have grown as a team. The team is showing a very good face," said Schmadtke after the small upswing, which will of course be continued on Tuesday in the DFB Cup round of 16 against VfL Wolfsburg. "But we'll have to see how the personnel situation looks for the first time," explained Borussia's sporting director.
For almost an hour, it was a typical 0-0 game and Hoffenheim, who had not been beaten in six away games, allowed little in defense. A penalty, which Alassane Plea converted after being fouled, seemed to turn the game around after an hour. But it took less than two minutes for Hoffenheim's center forward Wout Weghorst to equalize. "That was a brave penalty, but we came back quickly," said Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma. "So it was a completely unnecessary defeat, especially as we played a completely different game to last week," said the defensive player.
Gladbach forced to make changes
Gladbach were forced to make a number of changes a week after the 4-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund. Florian Neuhaus and Marvin Friedrich returned to the starting line-up for the first time in four games. Coach Gerardo Seoane surprisingly opted for the speedy Ngoumou in the center of attack, who repeatedly posed a threat with his pace.
However, the home side struggled overall against Hoffenheim's compact defense. Gladbach created few scoring opportunities. The best were Rocco Reitz, who shot over the goal from close range and an acute angle shortly before the break, and Plea, whose shot just missed the left post. Ten minutes before the end, Ngoumou was then positioned where a center forward should be after a cross from Luca Netz and confidently slid the ball over the line for the winning goal. "We are grateful and happy that Nathan interpreted this role in the best possible way. He was able to make his mark with his speed. That's why we made this decision," said Seoane.
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Source: www.stern.de
