Borussia Monchengladbach 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund finished off the Bundesliga season with an impressive win away to Monchengladbach, but it wasn’t quite enough for Lucien Favre’s team to win the title.
As we entered the final day, it was always FC Bayern’s to lose as the Bavarians started with a two-point lead. And that’s how it ended as the champions beat Eintracht Frankfurt at the Allianz Arena to pip BVB to the post.
But this was a consummate performance from the runners up, as Jadon Sancho gave the visitors a lead on the stroke of half-time before Marco Reus added a second to make the points safe.
It’s been a cracking season for SBOBET Bundesliga fans. A game of cat and mouse as Favre’s team got off to a flyer and were chased by the slow-starting Bayern side for much of the campaign. After a wobble, BVB recovered to take the race to the final day, but in the end, the title returns to Munich.
Highlights of the game
The hosts are resigned to losing Belgium star Thorgan Hazard to Dortmund in the summer transfer window, but he made a start today and was determined to leave on a high. He had the first effort of the game, taking a pass from Oscar Wendt. But his shot from the left side of the penalty area was charged down.
BVB needed a win to keep their Bundesliga hopes alive. Marco Reus met a Mario Gotze cross but directed his header just wide. Die Fohlen hit back and when Josep Drmic found Jonas Hofmann just outside the area, his shot flew narrowly wide.
Dortmund had another chance from a Christian Pulisic corner when Lukasz Piszczek rose highest, but his header missed the target. And when Reus had a chance from a free-kick he shot just past the post.
Then in two dramatic minutes just before the break, VAR took centre stage as Dortmund pressed for a half-time lead.
First, Reus appeared to be chopped down in the box by Matthias Ginter, but after VAR was consulted the Monchengladbach defender had a reprieve. Moments later, BVB had the ball in the net. Reus crossed for Sancho, who slammed it into the top right corner.
The away fans celebrated but then went quiet as the referee consulted VAR again to see if the ball had gone out of play before Reus crossed. But after three agonising minutes, the goal stood and the Yellow Wall went up again.
The half-time Bundesliga 2019 updates revealed that FC Bayern held a one-goal lead at the Allianz Arena so BVB fans were left hoping for a second-half miracle in Bavaria.
But their team was determined to finish their own part of the deal. Reus had two early efforts before doubling the lead on 54 minutes. In his last game for BVB, Pulisic was in superb form and he crossed for his skipper to convert from close range.
Pulisic then had a shot of his own blocked. Sancho also came within a whisker of making it three, but his deflected shot bounced back off the post.
The miracle in Munich never came as Bayern destroyed Frankfurt, 5-1, but BVB had pushed them all the way.
Key statistics
The Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund betting odds pointed to a tight affair and so it was in a first half in which the visitors dominated possession. But both sides managed just four shots each, and BVB had the one on target.
In the end, the visitors were good value for their win at pre-match betting odds of 2.20. They finished with 70 per cent possession, 12 shots to seven, with three on target while Die Fohlen didn’t manage a single one.
Dortmund have increased their dominance in the head-to-heads, now doubling Monchengladbach’s wins in this fixture since 1992, making it 28 to 14. And Favre’s team is now unbeaten in eight games against Die Fohlen.
What’s next?
Favre will be in the market to strengthen his team again. American star Christian Pulisic is heading to the Premier League to join Chelsea on a £58m deal, and the BVB boss will work hard through the summer to put his club in a position to challenge again next season.
Dieter Hecking’s Monchengladbach missed out on Champions League football after defeat today as Bayer Leverkusen took the fourth spot with an impressive 1-5 win away to Hertha Berlin. So it’s Europa League football for Die Fohlen.
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