Last-gasp Marcus Thuram goal sinks Roma

Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 Roma

Goals: 1-0 Fazio (35' o.g.), 1-1 Fazio (64'), 2-1 Thuram (90'+4)

Gladbach survived an early scare as Nicolo Zaniola sent an early header narrowly over Yann Sommer’s goal, but the Foals hadn’t taken a point off Roma a fortnight ago for nothing. Captain Lars Stindl, the scorer of Gladbach’s last-gasp equaliser at the Stadio Olympico, drove wide and Denis Zakaria rippled the roof of Pau Lopez’s net, before Thuram fashioned the goal the 2019/20 Bundesliga leaders’ dominance so richly deserved. The in-form Frenchman led Davide Santon on a merry dance down the left and whipped in a wicked ball that Roma defender Federico Fazio inadvertently turned into his own net with the contest 35 minutes old.

Thuram was at it again soon after the restart, but after his shot was blocked Stindl could only side-foot wide from close range. Gladbach continued to push, but were indebted to Sommer for keeping their lead intact with a smart save to touch Javier Pastore’s vicious effort over the crossbar. The Borussia No.1 could not stop Fazio from applying the finishing touch to a menacing Aleksandar Kolarov cross, though, as Roma levelled just past the hour. Justin Kluivert flashed an effort wide for the Italians, but Gladbach summoned one last push with Thuram heading home deep into added time to blow Group J wide open ahead of games against bottom side Wolfsberg and leaders Istanbul Basaksehir.

• Thuram is Gladbach's top scorer in all competitions in 2019/20 with eight goals. The Frenchman is one of 10 different players to have found the net for the club this season.
• Thuram also has four assists.
• Alassane Plea returned to the team after a four-match injury lay-off. The former Nice striker is Gladbach's next-best scorer with four.
• Marco Rose led Red Bull Salzburg to the Europa League semi-finals in 2017/18 and the last 16 last term, before succeeding Dieter Hecking at Gladbach in the summer.
• The Foals are unbeaten in five of their last six home games against Italian opposition (W1, D4).
• Roma are winless in their last five trips to Germany (D1, L4).

Gladbach: Sommer – Elvedi, Jantschke (Hofmann 29'), Ginter - Lainer, Zakaria, Benes, Wendt (Bensebaini 85') – Neuhaus (Plea 73') – Stindl (c), Thuram
Unused subs: Grün, Strobl, Kramer, Beyer
Out: Bennetts (thigh), Embolo (thigh), Johnson (groin), Raffael (match fitness), Sippel (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose

Roma: Lopez - Santon, Fazio, Smalling, Kolarov - Mancini (Diawara 59'), Veretout - Zaniolo (Cengiz Ünder 76'), Pastore (Perotti 80'), Kluivert - Dzeko (c)
Unused subs: Mirante, Juan Jesus, Florenzi, Antonucci
Out: Cetin (ineligible), Cristiante (adductor tear), Fuzato (suspended), Kalinic (lower leg), Mkhitaryan (groin), Pellegrini (metatarsal), Zappacosta (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Paulo Fonseca

Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 Roma

Goals: 1-0 Fazio (35' o.g.), 1-1 Fazio (64'), 2-1 Thuram (90+4')

Gladbach: Sommer – Elvedi, Jantschke (Hofmann 29'), Ginter - Lainer, Zakaria, Benes, Wendt (Bensebaini 85') – Neuhaus (Plea 73') – Stindl (c), Thuram
Roma: Lopez - Santon, Fazio, Smalling, Kolarov - Mancini (Diawara 59'), Veretout - Zaniolo (Cengiz Ünder 76'), Pastore (Perotti 80'), Kluivert - Dzeko (c)

90+5' FULL-TIME! MÖNCHENGLADBACH 2-1 ROMA

What an end to the game! That changes things in Group J. The Foals were looking like ending the night bottom of the section, they're now up to second, two points behind leaders Basakbeshir, whom they play on Matchday 6. That's a massive boost to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

90+4' GOAL! MÖNCHENGLADBACH 2-1 ROMA

Marcus Thuram has just given the Gladbach fans even more reason to love him: a diagonal ball into the Roma penalty area is headed back across the goal and Thuram directs a header into the far corner of the net.

90+3' FAITHFUL LOSING HOPE

The Borussia fans look like they can't see their side coming through to snatch this one. They've been the better side, but a really good 10-minute spell in the second half from Roma looks like being enough for them to claim a point.

90' FIVE MINUTES ADDED ON

That's surely enough for some 'late drama'.

86' THURAM TRICK

But there's no-one there in a green shirt to pick up his back heel in the Roma penalty area.

82' GINTER...AND THE WHISTLE

The Gladbach defender rises well, but sends his header over the bar - the whistle had gone for a push by Ginter anyway. The referee says 'Yes' when Ginter gives him his best 'Who me?' face.

80' TEN-MINUTE THRILLER?

There have got to be more goals in this one with ten minutes left. Surely. The game is really open, both teams look like they can find the net.

77' DZEKO...BLOCKED

That could have ended badly: the 2009/10 Bundesliga top scorer had virtually all of the goal to shoot at, and somehow contrived to send his effort straight at the only defender in front of him. Thankfully.

73' PLEA IS BACK

Neuhaus heads off, and Alassane Plea is on. He's missed Gladbach's last two league games, so that is a positive move in more than one sense.

72' THURAM...THWARTED

Zakaria makes a superb challenge to win back possession...the ball finds its way to Thuram, who has space to shoot, but only fires straight at Lopez.

69' KLUIVERT GOES CLOSE

Stindl lunges to keep an overhit cross in, but only tees up the ball for Santon to start a counter-attack...the Roma full-back finds Kluivert, who flashes a shot over the crossbar. That did not miss by much.

67' KLUIVERT BY NAME...

But fortunately for Gladbach, not quite yet by nature as the Roma forward bursts clear of the home back line, and when they do catch him, he plays it back - and behind - his teammates arriving on the edge of the box.

66' ROSE REVVING UP HIS SIDE

The Foals' coach is out in his technical area trying to gee up his side who look like they need a pick-me-up. Roma have been the better side in the last ten minutes.

64' GOAL! MÖNCHENGLADBACH 1-1 ROMA

Lainer concedes a free-kick on the left....Kolarov bends in a beauty, and Fazio lunges to turn the ball past Sommer from point-blank range. The former Tottenham Hotspur defender makes amends for his own-goal earlier. That had been coming.

61' ANYWHERE WILL DO

Roma probe menacingly around the Gladbach penalty box, and Benes smashes the ball over his own crossbar as the hosts look panicky for the first time. Roma make nothing of the corner, but they are looking a lot more dangerous now.

60' GINTER....OUCH!

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man takes a Sommer clearance full on the side of the head...he's back on too after a head bath of ice-cold water.

57' SOMMER THE SAVIOUR!!!

Just as I say that...Pastore finds space just outside the box, measures a shot tailored for the top corner, but Sommer leaps to his left to tip the ball over. Top quality play all round.

55' AND STANDING FIRM AT THE OPPOSITE END

Yann Sommer has not had much to do so far. Let's hope it stays that way.

53' GLADBACH STILL PRESSING...

The hosts look dangerous every time they come forward, which is great. But there is enough quality in the Roma side to punish them if they don't get another goal.

51' ZAKARIA DOWN

A look of concern on the face of Rose as Zakaria goes down clearly in pain after trying to challenge Kluivert on the left...but he limps back on after treatment. That initially looked very bad indeed. Phew!

48' HOW'D HE MISS THAT

Thuram's shot is blocked, but it balloons up for Stindl, who looks like he just has to steer it in from close range. Instead, he mishits his side foot effort and it rolls across goal.

46' SECOND HALF KICKS OFF

Here we go again!

45+1' HALF-TIME: GLADBACH 1-0 ROMA

That was a first-rate first-half performance from Marco Rose's Bundesliga leaders. 'Keep going like that' will surely be the boss' message in the dressing room right now as his players get their half-time orange slices...

44' BAD BOY BENES

The Gladbach midfielder bundles Kluivert over to get himself booked, though to be fair, it was an underhit ball from Stindl that led to the foul.

43' CAMOUFLAGE KIT

It must be difficult for the Roma players to pick up their Gladbach counterparts given the hosts are playing in this 'European' kit that most closely resembles camouflage. Though they didn't see Thuram for the goal because, boy, was he travelling!!

41' NEUHAUS DRIVE

The youngster blasts a shot goal wards, but it's straight at Lopez.

40' MANCINI IN THE BOOK

The Roma defender's arm cuts across the throat of Benes down the right, and that'll be a yellow card.

38' SWISS TIMING

Appropriately enough it's Zakaria who makes a perfectly timed challenge to stop Pastore inside the Gladbach penalty area. That tackle was a thing of beauty.

36' BENES...OVER THE BAR

The Slovakia international and Stindl eye a free-kick, handily placed...Benes tries his luck, but clears the crossbar as well as the wall.

35' GOAL!! GLADBACH 1-0 ROMA

Thuram does what he has been doing to Bundesliga defenders all season long and blasts away from Santon down the left...low cross into the six-yard box, and Fazio sticks out a leg to try and block it only to send it past Lopez and into his own net. Lucky for Gladbach, but deserved.

31' NEUHAUS DENIED

The Germany U21 midfielder is found on the edge of the box and looked to have a shooting opportunity - he did, but the door closed just as quickly as it had opened and his effort is blocked.

29' JANTSCHKE CAN'T CONTINUE

He's had his fair share of injury problems, and now has another. Hofmann hops on to replace him. Suspect that will change the formation with an extra midfielder instead of

25' LOPEZ ALERT AGAIN

This time Benes tests the Roma keeper from outside the box. Gladbach's confidence is shining through given they are happy to go for goal from anywhere in their opponent's final third.

24' JANTSCHKE IN TROUBLE?

The Gladbach defender emerges from a challenge holding his left hamstring...he'll continue for now.

19' OPENING GOAL COMING?

Not as yet, but Gladbach have been the more threatening.

15' GOAL....NOT!!

That looked for all the world like Zakaria had said to Pau Lopez, 'Pick that one out!' by arrowing a shot into the top corner from 25 yards, the net rippled..but it was the top of the net. That's a contender for Best nearly a Goal of the Season.

13' STINDL SMASHES ONE

The Gladbach captain is allowed to advance to within 25 metres of the Roma goal and then unloads a blockbuster of a drive that flashes across the face of Lopez's goal and rattles into the advertising boards behind.

11' THAT'S A SCARE

Roma corner from the right...nicely delivered outswinger...Zaniolo rises highest and sends a header just over the bar. Sommer looks on with relief as it lands on top of his net. First chance goes to the visitors.

10' ZAKARIA STEPS IN

The Switzerland international has been outstanding so far this season, and shows why he's so highly thought of as he tracks back to cut out a cross on the edge of the hosts' area and gives it simple.

7' NO WAY THROUGH

Thuram picks up the ball int he box and is surrounded by three Roma defenders. He tries to dribble through and then finds Wendt on the left side of the area, but there are simply too many bodies in the way for the hosts.

5' THURAM THREAT

Gladbach's in-form man hares after a long ball and Pau Lopez races from his goal like any good sweeper-keeper to snuff out the danger. Roma, though, are clearly aware of how much of a danger Thuram can be.

4' GBACH LOOKING POISED

The hosts have made a confident start, hardly surprising given they have made such a good start to the Bundesliga.

2' PURPLE PATCH

Not sure about Sommer's all-purple goalkeeping kit - though it is appropriate given the form he has been in.

1' WE'RE UNDERWAY

Roma get us started...what a fabulous atmosphere.

HERE COME THE TEAMS

Gladbach in their 'European' green shirts, Roma in their away kit of all white. Stindl and Dzeko meet halfway for the coin toss...

THE STAGE IS SET...

And what a stage it is. Borussia Park in all it's green-and-black glory on a European night (and a Bundesliga evening) is quite a sight to behold.

FIVE REASONS GBACH CAN WIN

#5 Roma’s travel sickness in Germany

Traditionally strong at home, Gladbach’s loss to Wolfsberger on Matchday 1 appears to have been nothing more than a blip on the road for Rose’s swiftly developing side. The Foals have won their last three games at Borussia-Park, scoring 11 goals in the process in victories over Fortuna Düsseldorf, Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Roma are in good form themselves, sitting third in Serie A after three wins in succession. While they may be unbeaten away from home this season, however, they have rarely enjoyed their trips to Germany. The Italians have lost on 10 of their 13 visits, and have one draw and three defeats from their last four matches there.

FIVE REASONS GBACH CAN WIN

#4 Rose's Europa League track record

Like Stindl, Rose has previous in the Europa League. Gladbach's coveted young tactician made a name for himself across the border in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg, winning the UEFA Youth League before being promoted to the top job in 2017/18. During a famous two-season spell, he led the club to back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles, whilst accounting for the likes of Dortmund and Roma's city rivals, Lazio, en route to the 2017/18 Europa League semi-finals.

Salzburg's 21 goals set a Europa League group stage record that year, and they were at it again the following campaign before losing out to Napoli by the odd goal in the round of 16. Rose's overall competition record reads: won 15, drawn seven, lost five.

DZEKO ALERT

The Roma captain formed a prolific partnership with Grafite as Wolfsburg won the 2008/09 Bundesliga title, and he ended up scoring 66 goals in 111 games for the Wolves. He was unbeaten in his five Bundesliga matches against Mönchengladbach (W4 D1), scoring three goals and providing one assist.

FIVE REASONS GBACH CAN WIN

#3 The Stindl factor

The club captain,who made his comeback in October following a six-month absence with a broken shin, did likewise in the first meeting with Roma. The Germany international kept his cool from the penalty spot in Italy on Matchday 3, coming off the bench to earn a 1-1 draw in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

That decisive contribution once again underlined the 31-year-old’s pedigree on the European stage. Stindl now has 13 goals and 11 assists in his 39 appearances in UEFA competition to date, including a hat-trick against Fiorentina in the 2016/17 Europa League round of 32.

FIVE REASONS GBACH CAN WIN

#2 Talismanic Thuram

Three players have shared 12 of Gladbach's 21 Bundesliga goals in 2019/20. Frenchman Alassane Plea was the club's top scorer last season with 12, and he has picked up where he left off by getting four goals and as many assists this term. Breel Embolo, a summer signing from Schalke, has netted three. Both of those players have been injured of late, however, meaning that more responsibility has been placed on the shoulders of France U21 international Marcus Thuram.

September's Bundesliga Rookie of the Month has dealt with the pressure brilliantly, though, scoring in each of his last three matches.

GOOD OMENS

Mönchengladbach have won more games than they have lost against Italian sides (W5 D8 L4), but five of those draws have come in the eight fixtures in Germany. Roma have lost 10 and won just two of their trips to Germany.

FIVE REASONS GBACH CAN WIN

#1 They're still the Bundesliga pacesetters

Gladbach have won both of their league matches since earning a draw against Roma in Italy, meaning they will be full of confidence ahead of their second meeting with Paulo Fonseca’s side. After ten Bundesliga matches, Marco Rose has his side leading last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund by three points at the top of the table.

The Foals are also the Bundesliga's fourth-highest scorers (21 goals), and boast the division's second-meanest defence (10 conceded).

WELCOME!

Borussia Mönchengladbach head the Bundesliga standings, but they're propping up the rest of UEFA Europa League Group J after three matches. The Foals drew with Roma in Italy a fortnight ago, though, and will move level with the current group leaders with a win tonight.