Monchengladbach took a huge step towards claiming a Europa League spot with a crushing 3-0 win over Sevilla at Borussia Park last night.
Goals from Lars Stindl, Fabian Johnson and Raffael, combined with a brilliant team performance saw Andre Schubert’s side take Sevilla apart in the second-half.
After a period of sustained Gladbach pressure, Captain Granit Xhaka lashed a vicious shot at goal from the top-left of the box, looking to test Sergio Rico. His effort was off and drifting wide, however, a brilliant run from Stindl met it unmarked at the back post and the German side went up 1-0.
Sevilla had chances in the second-half, most notably through Yevhen Konoplyanka and Kevin Gameiro, but neither could convert and they were punished in the 68th minute. Julian Korb lifted his eyes on the edge of a box and played Johnson in down the other side, with the American curling a sumptuous finish past Sergio Rico after cutting inside. Raffael added the third just 10 minutes later with a deft finish, before Sevilla’s Vitolo kept the game alive with a cute chip over Yann Sommer.
A frantic final period finished with a Stindl belter immediately after Vitolo’s goal, before Ever Banega smartly converted a penalty after a poor tackle by Xhaka to make the scoreboard a little less confronting.
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