Gladbach claim convincing Rhine derby win over Cologne

Borussia Mönchengladbach 5-2 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Friedrich (assist: Hofmann) 27', 1-1 Kainz pen. 31', 2-1 Bensebaini pen. 45'+2, 3-1 Stindl 47', 4-1 Bensebaini 76', 4-2 Huseinbasic 83', 5-2 Thuram (assist: Plea) 90'+1
Red card: Kainz 45'+1

Derby day in the Rhineland almost began in calamitous fashion for the visitors as Timo Hübers and Marvin Schwäbe got their wires crossed, but the former was able to hurry the ball clear before Christoph Kramer could pounce. Schwäbe then had to be razor sharp to deny Marcus Thuram on the angle after fine work on the left from the Frenchman, who carved out the first real opening of the match. Gladbach were soon in front as Marvin Friedrich planted Jonas Hofmann's corner into the top corner, but their lead lasted just four minutes. Florian Kainz pulled Cologne level from the penalty spot, sending Yann Sommer the wrong way from 12 yards to make it 1-1. Kainz went from hero to zero on the stroke of half-time as he was given his marching orders for a foul on Hofmann, an error made worse as Bensebaini stepped up from the resulting penalty to restore the Foals' lead.

It took Daniel Farke's team less than two minutes to add a third after the break and what a goal it was. The visitors were caught cold trying to play their way out from the back, with the ball ultimately landing at the feet of captain Lars Stindl, who turned and rocketed a stunning strike from 20 yards out into the back of the net via a kiss of the post. Alassane Plea replaced Stindl not long after, with Farke confident that all three points were already in his side's grasp. It proved to be the case, with Bensebaini adding his second - and his team's fourth - before Denis Huseinbasic's consolation was emphatically put to bed by Thuram's injury-time goal. Victory moves Gladbach into fifth place, just two points off top spot, while Steffen Baumgart's men drop to ninth on the back of just their second league defeat - a further two points back from their victorious hosts from up the road.

• Bensebaini has a 100 percent record from the penalty spot across his career, with six of those scored in the Bundesliga.
• Kainz has had a direct hand in more than half of Cologne's 15 goals (four of his own, four assists).
• There have been a total of five red cards across Cologne's nine league games this season.
• Cologne had won the previous three Rhine derbies, but Gladbach managed to secure a first win over their local rivals since beating the Billy Goats 3-1 in October 2020.
• This was the first time all season that Cologne have conceded more than two goals in a single game.
• There hasn't been a goalless draw in this fixture since September 2014.

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Gladbach: Sommer - Scally (Lainer 83'), Friedrich, Elvedi, Bensebaini (Netz 83') - Kone, Weigl, Kramer (Sanches 78') - Hofmann (Herrmann 83'), Thuram, Stindl (c) (Plea 52')
Unused subs: Sippel, Jantschke, Ngoumou, Reitz
Out: Itakura (knee), Neuhaus (knee), Wolf (shoulder)
Coach: Daniel Farke

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz (Huseinbasic 60'), Kilian, Hübers, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Ljubicic (Schindler 40') - Maina (Uth 75'), Duda (Adamyan 60'), Kainz - Tigges (Dietz 60')
Unused subs: Urbig, Pedersen, Soldo, Martel
Out: Andersson (knee), Chabot (ankle), Horn (muscular), Limnios (knee), Olesen (ankle), Thielmann (ill)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

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