Bundesliga: Raphael awards Gladbach win against Mainz – Tagesspiegel

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Borussia Mönchengladbach and Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga remain unbeaten. That would be the FC Bayern München, for it in the season is lonely at the top early.

Borussia Mönchengladbach has to demolish the direct contact with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. The team of coach Lucien Favre had on Sunday with a 1: 1 (1: 1) against FSV Mainz 05 content, whereby the residue increased to record champions on four points. After all, remained the Borussia, which is now third behind the TSG Hoffenheim, also in the twelfth official matches unbeaten. Also still unbeaten in the league are the Mainzer, which continue to play a good role as a table in sixth place. A crowd of 50,383 at the Borussia-Park brought national player Max Kruse Borussia early lead (15), before the break succeeded BVB loan Jonas Hofmann manually penalty of compensation (31).

Three days after the Europa League match in Zurich (1: 1) Gladbach initially showed no signs of fatigue, which is probably because both the rotation that artist Lucien Favre changed his team to five positions. The return of the Brazilian Raphael, who had renounced as world champion Christoph Kramer and Fabian Johnson on a trip to Switzerland for a smaller Blessur, seemed, at least in the initial phase of invigorating.

Raphael was also of the ahead initiated when he was the starting point of an interesting combination on Patrick Herrmann, Johnson and Goal Scorer Kruse. For striker Kruse, who was taken into account by national coach Joachim Löw after a year of abstinence for the next two internationals against Poland and Ireland, it was the third goal of the season.

Gladbach was optically superior, clear chances were long out

Partly it was not for the Gladbach despite leading in the back. The very good set of coaches Kasper Hjulmand Mainz were certainly on the defensive and convinced by a good Umschaltspiel. Found back into the game the guests but only after Julian basket underwent a handball in the penalty area. The spot-kick turned Hofmann sure

It developed a mediocre game, in which the Borussia was the optically superior team -. Although the clear scoring chances failed to materialize. Raphael had before the break from the inside right is still a good chance (41). Otherwise, it tried the Swiss international granite Xhaka again with shots from distance, but 05 goalkeeper Loris Karius he could thus not surprising.

In any case, had Gladbach during the course of the game the efforts of the last few weeks a little pay tribute. However, the Mainzer also did not seek the unconditional offensive, making the game more and more flattened. Only the substitute Jairo made once a stir when he umkurvte Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer in the penalty area. The Swiss goalkeeper prevented with a jump but worse. Shortly before the end Gladbach still had the great opportunity to win. Only ran substitute Thorgan Hazard alone on Karius, but failed because of the goalkeeper (85th). Then it was Raphael, who could not push the ball over the line from five meters (88). (AP)