Monday, August 17, 2009

Monchengladbach 2-1 Hertha Berlin


Borussia Monchengladbach moved up to third in the Bundesliga thanks to victory against Hertha Berlin.

Roel Brouwers put Gladbach ahead against the run of play in the 23rd minute before Karim Matmour added a second in the 52nd.

Gojko Kacar reduced the arrears immediately, but he then missed a golden opportunity to equalise as he struck the woodwork in the dying seconds.

After a tight opening in which neither side was able to create any real danger, Hertha started to get on top with Maximilian Nicu volleying the first shot of the game just wide after 18 minutes.

But they were caught out just five minutes later when the home side opened the scoring.

Hertha never fully cleared their lines from a corner and Tobias Levels' cross back into the danger area was headed in by Brouwers, who had stayed up for the corner.

Nicu's second effort of the game moments later was even closer than his first, but still Hertha were unable to get the goal they deserved.

Gladbach could have doubled their lead 10 minutes before the break when Juan Arango's shot took a wicked bounce in front of Jaroslav Drobny, but he reacted quickly to push the ball onto the crossbar.

The hosts got their second goal soon after the break with captain Oliver Neuville breaking through and crossing low to give Matmour the easiest of finishes.

But Berlin did not give up hope and they hit straight back through Kacar within 60 seconds.

The impressive Raffael curled in a corner which Kacar forced over the line from close range to give Lucien Favre's side hope again.

However, the chances dried up for the guests as Gladbach picked up their game, Arango testing Drobny twice with well-placed free-kicks and then again from open play.

Kacar should have equalised with two minutes left when he again met a Raffael corner as Gladbach's goalkeeper Christopher Heimeroth misjudged the cross, but the Croatian's effort struck the crossbar.

Arango also hit the crossbar with the final kick of the game.

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