Gladbach beaten by clinical Wolves

Gladbach 0-3 Wolfsburg

Goals: 0-1 Gerhardt (37’), 0-2 Mehmedi (68’), 0-3 Mehmedi (83’)

Gladbach, unchanged from the side that drew at Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, started brightly and should have been in front by the time Wolfsburg took the lead against the run of play seven minutes before the interval. Matthias Ginter tested Koen Casteels from range early on, before Florian Neuhaus side-footed against the top of the crossbar and was then denied a certain goal by Robin Knoche’s superb clearance off the line. The Foals were made to pay for those misses when a well-constructed move ended with Yannick Gerhardt scuffing a finish into the corner from Jerome Roussillon’s cross.

The early part of the second half was more encouraging for the hosts, who raised their intensity and put the Wolfsburg defence under concerted pressure with a series of crosses and set-pieces. Alassane Plea was introduced as Dieter Hecking sought to take advantage of his side’s momentum, but it was his counterpart Bruno Labbadia who made the inspired change. Admir Mehmedi had been on the pitch a matter of minutes before he seized on a long punt from Casteels and stole in to make it 2-0. Once again it was against the run of play, but the Wolves had simply shown the ice-cool finishing that Gladbach lacked, and defended manfully in protecting their advantage.

That defensive resolve was evidenced perfectly by Casteels, who would not be beaten, saving from Lars Stindl and producing a sensational stop to thwart Thorgan Hazard from ten yards. By contrast, the Foals’ hapless defending continued and Mehmedi headed in a third after John Anthony Brooks’ knockdown. Borussia will stay in the top four over the weekend but are next in action at home to Bayern Munich. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, who boast the division's third best away record, are now just five points behind Hecking's charges.

• Gladbach are winless in three matches for the first time this season.
• The Foals have suffered consecutive 3-0 home defeats, following Matchday 21’s reverse against Hertha Berlin. They entertain the champions Bayern Munich in their next home outing.
• Gerhardt’s goal was his second of the season. He is yet to score more than two league goals in a single top-flight campaign.
• Mehmedi’s 68th-minute goal was the visitors’ first shot of the second half. His brace was also his first for the Wolves.
• Fabian Johnson made 18 appearances for Wolfsburg in all competitions between 2009 and 2011.
• Hazard is on his longest run of the current season without a goal (six matches). Ten-goal Gladbach top scorer Plea is without a goal in his last five.
• Wolfsburg finished 11th, fifth, second and eighth in Hecking's four seasons as coach.

Gladbach: Sommer – Johnson, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt – Neuhaus (Drmic 82’), Kramer, Zakaria (Hofmann 46’) – Herrmann (Plea 67’), Stindl (c), Hazard
Unused subs: Sippel, Lang, Strobl, Jantschke
Out: Doucoure (thigh), Traore (groin), Raffael (collarbone)
Coach: Dieter Hecking

Wolfsburg: Casteels – William, Knoche, Brooks, Roussillon – Gerhardt, Guilavogui (c), Arnold – Steffen (Rexhbecaj 77’), Weghorst, Brekalo (Mehmedi 64’)
Unused subs: Pervan, Verhaegh, Malli, Klaus, Uduokhai
Out: Azzaoui (knee), Camacho (ankle), Ginczek (ankle), Jung (muscular)
Coach: Bruno Labbadia