Bundesliga
A late winner from Patrik Schick condemned Borussia Mönchengladbach to a third straight defeat in the Bundesliga as Bayer Leverkusen took home all three points in the Rhine derby.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Schick (77')
Both sides came into this game at Borussia-Park looking for a win to restore some confidence heading into the business end of the league campaign. Only one side really showed intent to do that, though, as the visitors dominated the early goings. Moussa Diaby was the first to test Yann Sommer with his fierce shot at the near post, while Demarai Gray - starting in the absence of the suspended Leon Bailey - was having fun on the opposite flank as well. It took 20 minutes for the Foals to find their feet with Alassane Plea forcing a save from Lennart Grill before Hannes Wolf looked certain to score from close range, but saw his shot blocked by Jeremie Frimpong on his first start in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen were controlling possession, but also working well on the counter-attack when they could, and it was Diaby who had another chance on the half-hour mark as the away side broke forward. His shot was once again parried saved by Sommer, though Schick should have done better with the rebound - his first touch sending the ball straight back into the Swiss goalkeeper’s grateful arms.
Leverkusen had started the first half well, but it was Gladbach who came flying out of the blocks after the break. Plea couldn't curl his shot far enough across goal before Wolf was once again denied by a last-ditch block in front of Grill, with Jonathan Tah in the right place this time. The Foals thought they had earned a chance to score from the spot as Frimpong fouled Marcus Thuram, but a check from VAR found an offside in the build-up against Valentino Lazaro. Leverkusen got their first chance of the half after 68 minutes as Nadiem Amiri curled just over from close-range following fine work from Diaby, but as the game looked to be heading for a stalemate the deadlock was broken in the final 15 minutes. Once again Leverkusen countered with Diaby down the right and his shot was saved by Sommer, but Schick was first onto the rebound to slide the ball home. Grill was forced into action late on to tip over Matthias Ginter's shot as Leverkusen recorded a first league win in three to climb - temporarily at least - to fifth in the table.
Watch: Schick: "We had a little bit of luck"
Gladbach: Sommer (c) - Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Zakaria, Neuhaus - Lazaro (Herrmann 81'), Wolf, Thuram (Traore 81') - Plea (Embolo 70')
Unused subs: Sippel, Lang, Beyer, Wendt, Jantschke, Reitz
Out: Hofmann (thigh), Kramer (ligament), Stindl (suspended)
Coach: Marco Rose
Leverkusen: Grill - Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Wendell - Amiri, Aranguiz (c), Demirbay - Diaby, Schick, Gray
Unused subs: Johnen, Lomb, Dragovic, Alario, Jedvaj, Weiser, Palacios, Bellarabi
Out: Arias (ankle), Bailey (suspended) Baumgartlinger (knee), L. Bender (knee), S. Bender (knee), Fosu-Mensah (knee), Hradecky (heel), Paulinho (knee), Sinkgraven (thigh), Wirtz (not included)
Coach: Peter Bosz