Julian Brandt scores early and Maximilian Beier seals it late as Borussia Dortmund beat Gladbach 2-0 to move second in the Bundesliga.
Borussia Dortmund strengthened their Bundesliga position with a 2-0 home win over Borussia Mönchengladbach at Signal Iduna Park. Julian Brandt scored early and substitute Maximilian Beier sealed the points deep into stoppage time. The victory lifted Dortmund into second place, at least temporarily. It continued their strong home form against Gladbach.
Dortmund entered the match having lost just once all season, away at Bayern Munich. Niko Kovac was without Ramy Bensebaini, who is on international duty, and suspended midfielder Jobe Bellingham. Gladbach arrived confident despite a recent defeat, having won their previous three away matches without conceding. The visitors started cautiously.
The hosts set the tone from kick off with aggressive pressing and quick circulation. Their early control was rewarded in the 10th minute. Niklas Sule delivered a precise cross from the right. Brandt met it at the far post and volleyed home with authority.
Dortmund kept pushing for a second goal. Serhou Guirassy headed wide shortly after the opener. Karim Adeyemi later forced Moritz Nicolas into a sharp save from close range. Gladbach struggled to register any threat before the break.
The visitors grew into the contest late in the first half. Florian Neuhaus saw an effort blocked by Sule after a rare Gladbach attack. Dortmund still looked comfortable at the back. Gregor Kobel remained largely untested.
Gladbach showed more intent after the restart. Neuhaus again had a shot blocked, this time by Emre Can. The match became more physical, with Can and Nico Schlotterbeck both booked. Dortmund briefly lost some control in midfield.
Kovac turned to his bench on the hour, introducing Beier for Adeyemi. The substitute nearly scored late on but was denied by Nicolas. Guirassy also had a goal ruled out for offside as Dortmund pressed.
The decisive moment arrived in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Fabio Silva received the ball centrally and slipped a simple pass into Beier’s path. The forward finished calmly into the far corner. The goal finally killed off Gladbach resistance.
Dortmund finished with 10 shots, four on target. Gladbach managed six attempts and tested Kobel only once. Expected goals favoured the hosts by 1.37 to 0.23. The statistics reflected Dortmund’s overall control.
The win extended Dortmund’s remarkable home record against Gladbach. They have now won 22 of their last 24 home league meetings. It was another frustrating visit for the visitors.
Brandt dictated the tempo throughout and marked his 40th Bundesliga goal for Dortmund. Sule impressed at both ends, providing the assist and making key defensive interventions. Nicolas kept the scoreline respectable with several saves. Beier made the decisive impact from the bench.
Dortmund sit three points clear of RB Leipzig, who can respond later this weekend. They remain six points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Gladbach will look to respond at home next week. Dortmund now prepare for a demanding run of fixtures in the new year that starts with a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on January 9th. Eleventh placed Borussia Mönchengladbach return to action against Augsburg on January 11th.
