Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen wins at Borussia Mönchengladbach

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Yann Sommer celebrates after a saved penalty

Photo: Christopher Neundorf / imago images / Kirchner Media

Bayer Leverkusen won Saturday night's 19th matchday game 2-1 (0-0) at Borussia Mönchengladbach and moved up to third place.

The Gladbachers are still in twelfth place.

The goals for Bayer were scored by Robert Andrich (51st minute) and Patrik Schick (74th), Nico Elvedi reduced the lead in the 81st minute.

After the surprising 2-1 away win at FC Bayern Munich, Gladbach focused on a player who was not even a Borussia player last week: Marvin Friedrich.

The defender came to Mönchengladbach from Union Berlin during the week and is supposed to replace Matthias Ginter, who will be leaving in the summer at the latest.

Curious: The 26-year-old played for the Berliners last week – also against Bayer Leverkusen.

With Friedrich instead of Ginter in the starting eleven, the hosts had their first opportunity of the game: Florian Neuhaus forced Bayer goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký to make a strong save from close range in the 16th minute.

Leverkusen came dangerously in front of Yann Sommer's goal for the first time in the 25th minute, but Moussa Diaby was denied by the Swiss international goalkeeper.

In the second half, too, a respectable and fast-paced game developed, in which Friedrich involuntarily initiated the opening goal for Leverkusen: After a duel with Diaby, referee Sascha Stegemann awarded a penalty – a dubious decision.

But Sommer was able to turn Schick's shot into the left corner in a great way around the post (50').

In the subsequent corner kick, however, Andrich was completely free to head the ball and scored to make it 1-0 for the guests (51st).

29 seconds had passed after the saved penalty.

Sommer also saves the second penalty

Penalty miss Schick was also able to celebrate: after a set piece he also headed it to 2-0 in the 74th minute.

It was his 18th goal in 16 games of the season.

Elvedi scored from the crowd in the 81st minute to make it 1:2.

Shortly before the end there was a second penalty for the guests after a foul on Florian Wirtz.

But Sommer also fended off this attempt by Kerem Demirbay (87th).

Coach Adi Hütter's team didn't want to equalize, however.

While Bayer Leverkusen has already been eliminated in the DFB Cup, Borussia will play at Hannover 96 during the week (Wednesday, 6.30 p.m., TV: Sky).

Bayer will host FC Augsburg on the upcoming Bundesliga matchday, and Gladbach will also play at home again – the opponent is Friedrich's former club Union Berlin (both Saturday, 3.30 p.m.).

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