Hofmann double as Gladbach sweep past Leipzig

Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Hofmann (10'), 2-0 Hofmann 35' (assist: Thuram), 3-0 Bensebaini 53' (assist: Stindl)

Gladbach could have been forgiven for approaching the match with a sense of trepidation given the absences of first-team regulars Ko Itakura, Florian Neuhaus and Alassane Plea, especially given Leipzig's impressive display against Real Madrid in midweek. Yet there was no sign of nerves from Daniel Farke's charges as they immediately went on the front foot against the Foals, with Hofmann opening the scoring early on after Peter Gulacsi could only parry a Marcus Thuram header into his path. Gladbach were in no mood to let up and pinned their guests back inside their own half for much of the first 45 minutes. They were rewarded for their bold approach with a second goal when Thuram sent Hofmann clear, the Germany international making no mistake when one-on-one with Gulacsi. There was very little to see at the other end by way of response from the visitors, although Josko Gvardiol could arguably have done better than direct a free back-post header straight at Yann Sommer.

Leipzig emerged for the second half with considerably more bite and could have pulled a goal back when David Raum floated a cross into the middle from the left, but the unmarked Andre Silva headed over from six yards out. That was about as good as it got for the visitors, though, as Gladbach effectively killed the game off shortly afterwards when Lars Stindl's superb pass picked out Ramy Bensebaini, who lifted a delicate finish over Gulacsi and into the net. The Foals saw the game out in relative comfort thereafter against an uncharacteristically blunt Leipzig attack, and Hofmann could even have claimed a hat-trick late on but drilled wide when through on goal. It mattered little in the grand scheme of things, though, as the damage had already long been done as Gladbach earned a third win of the season.

• Hofmann's double took him to three Bundesliga goals for the campaign, joint top at Gladbach alongside Thuram.
• The Germany international also struck twice in Gladbach's last home game against Leipzig in early May 2022.
• Bensebaini scored his second goal of the season.
• Stindl's assist for Bensebaini was the attacker's first direct goal involvement in 2022/23.
• Leipzig have now conceded three goals from counter-attacks this term, more than any other Bundesliga side.
• Marco Rose oversaw 88 competitive matches as Gladbach coach in 2019/20 and 2020/21 (W41, D19, L28).

>>>Get Hofmann for your Fantasy team for 14.6M!

Watch: Jonas Hofmann - 'I always score against Gulacsi!'

Gladbach: Sommer - Scally, Friedrich, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Kone, Weigl (Jantschke 90'+1), Kramer - Hofmann (Lainer 90'+1), Thuram (Ngoumou 90'+1), Stindl (c) (Wolf 82', Herrmann 86')
Unused subs: Olschowsky, Netz, Reitz, Sanches
Out: Itakura (knee), Neuhaus (knee), Noß (ankle), Plea (groin), Sippel (shoulder)
Coach: Daniel Farke

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Henrichs (Novoa 80'), Orban, Gvardiol, Raum - Kampl, Haidara (Schlager 46') - Nkunku, Forsberg (Werner 46'), Szoboszlai - Silva (Poulsen 67')
Unused subs: Blaswich, Ba, Diall
Out: Halstenberg (back), Klostermann (ankle), Laimer (ankle), Olmo (knee), Simakan (back)
Coach: Marco Rose

Watch: Yussuf Poulsen - 'A lot of good teams in the Bundesliga'