Gladbach climb above Dortmund in six-goal thriller

Gladbach 4-2 Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Elvedi (11'), 1-1 Haaland (23'), 1-2 Haaland (29'), 2-2 Elvedi (32'), 3-2 Bensebaini, 4-2 Thuram (79')

Gladbach wasted no time taking the game to their visitors and they thought they were in front after just 50 seconds but Florian Neuhaus' curled effort was ruled out after a Jonas Hofmann foul in the build-up. Gladbach's early pressure soon told as Elvedi backed up his midweek heroics in the 1-0 win over Werder Bremen by heading his side in front once more. That goal shocked Dortmund into life and they were level soon after as Jadon Sancho brilliantly fed Haaland, whose clipped finish over Yann Sommer into the far corner was exquisite. Sancho was purring and minutes later he combined with Emre Can and Jude Bellingham before again teeing up Haaland to fire Dortmund in front. The back-and-forth was unrelenting and Elvedi had his and Gladbach's second within three minutes as Bürki could only parry Lars Stindl's free-kick into the centre-back's path for a tap-in from close range.

Despite further chances at both ends, neither team could find a way back in front before the break but Gladbach were ahead again less than five minutes after the restart. This time it was Bensebaini on the scoresheet as the left-back turned inside Julian Brandt and onto his weaker foot before curling a sumptuous effort into the far corner to make it 3-2. Opportunities continued to present themselves at both ends of the pitch and when the sting gradually appeared to be coming out of the game, the visitors called for Gio Reyna and the hosts for Breel Embolo and Thuram. It was the latter - playing in his first game back following a five-game suspension - that put an exclamation point on proceedings as he jumped unmarked to head in his side's fourth of the game. Despite their best efforts, there was no way back for Dortmund who - for the time being at least - are replaced by Gladbach in fourth-place as a result of a third game without a win for Die Schwarzgelben.

• The Foals' victory ends a run of 11 Bundesliga defeats in a row against Dortmund, which was the longest winless run against any other team in the club's history.
• Elvedi has scored in successive Bundesliga matches for the first time in his career and now has three goals in his last two matches compared to five career goals from 155 Bundesliga appearances prior to Matchday 17.
• His second half goal was Bensebaini's first of the season and ended a run of 17 games without scoring for the Gladbach defender.
• Haaland has scored two or more times in a single Bundesliga game on nine separate occasions in just 28 appearances.
• The 20-year-old's personal record against Gladbach now stands at four goals and an assist across three Bundesliga outings against the Foals.
• Sancho took his tally to nine assists for the campaign and has been directly involved in six goals (two goals, four assists) in Dortmund's last five matches.

Watch: Haaland: “We have to get our minds ready”

Gladbach: Sommer - Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Kramer, Neuhaus - Zakaria (Herrmann 84'), Stindl (c) (Wolf 70'), Hofmann (Thuram 65') - Plea (Embolo 70')
Unused subs: Sippel, Beyer, Wendt, Jantschke, Benes
Out: Doucoure (match fitness), Lazaro (groin), Reitz (pelvis), Scally (knock)
Coach: Marco Rose

Dortmund: Bürki - Morey (Tigges 87'), Akanji, Hummels, Guerreiro - Can, Bellingham (Moukoko 79') - Sancho, Reus (c) (Reyna 71'), Brandt - Haaland
Unused subs: Hitz, Schulz, Piszczek, Dahoud, Reinier, Meunier
Out: Delaney (suspended), Hazard (thigh), Schmelzer (knee), Witsel (Achilles tendon), Zagadou (hamstring)
Coach: Edin Terzic

Watch: Sommer: “It’s difficult against us because we have power”