Highlights

16^th minute: The guests from Mönchengladbach take a shock lead. Raffael lofts a free-kick delivery into the VfB penalty area from 30 meters out and finds Gladbach captain Granit Xhaka, who rises to head the visitors into a 1-0 lead.

20^th minute: And a further setback for coach Alexander Zorniger’s men. In an attempt to cutout a headed effort from Patrick Herrmann, Christian Gentner heads the ball past his own keeper to make it 2-0 for the visitors.

40^th minute: VfB are back in the tie! Daniel Ginczek is on target from the penalty spot. The spot-kick resulted from a foul on Daniel Didavi by Harvard Nordtveit, which referee Perl immediately reacted to and awarded in favour of the hosts – 1-2.

44^th minute: The Cannstatt Boys make a determined finish to the first period. From a corner, Filip Kostic wins possession just meters out but has the ball toe-poked away before he can get a shot in.


45^th minute: Alexander Zorniger’s men go into the break trailing by 1-2. Following a good start, VfB suddenly found themselves two goals down, but towards the end of the first period, VfB battled their way back into the match.

90^th minute: VfB battle unyieldingly and create chances, but the ball just will not find its way into the net. At the other end, Raffael breaks on a counter attack and seals VfB’s fate, making the final score 1-3.

Summary

The effort invested by the VfB pros was once again massive in the clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Zorniger’s men put in another determined and willing display, but over the ninety minutes, VfB were unable to reward themselves for their efforts. In the clash with the ‘Fohlen’, the Cannstatt Boys somewhat stunningly found themselves trailing by two goals, but the hosts refused to throw in the towel, pulled a goal back before the break and pushed in search of an equaliser throughout the second period, but a counter attack at the death saw Gladbach definitively secure all three points.