Defeat at FC Augsburg: Late goal from DFB debutant Tim Kleindienst is not enough for Borussia Mönchengladbach

Defeat in Augsburg
A late goal from DFB debutant Kleindienst is not enough for Gladbach

October 4, 2024, 10:39 p.m

For Borussia Mönchengladbach, the negative trend of the last few weeks continues. There is nothing to get in Augsburg either. And that despite the possible new national player hitting Kleindienst. The people of Fuggerstadt, on the other hand, can breathe a little.

FC Augsburg celebrated a much-needed victory in the Bundesliga and distanced itself from the relegation zone for the time being. Coach Jess Thorup's team deservedly won 2-1 (1-0) against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the start of the sixth matchday and celebrated a small liberation after their previous false start with just four points from five games.

Keven Schlotterbeck (39th) and substitute Alexis Claude-Maurice (65th) scored the goals for Augsburg, while potential new international Tim Kleindienst (72nd) was the first to score for Gladbach. With the victory, FCA, which started the season with ambitions, moved past Gladbach in the table, whose eyes are likely to initially look downwards after four defeats from the first six games of the season.

Both teams had to make changes due to injuries. At Augsburg, Steve Mounie started for Ruben Vargas, who had an ankle injury, while Gladbach coach Gerardo Seoane relied on Tomas Cvancara as a replacement for Nathan Ngoumou. Apart from that, both teams rely on continuity, at least in terms of personnel.

After all, a trend for the FCA did not continue. Unlike on four of the previous five matchdays, Augsburg survived the opening quarter of an hour unscathed this time – and after reaching this interim goal, they also dared to go on the offensive more and more.

Hardly any chances to score at the start

However, there was nothing more than harmless shots from Dimitrios Giannoulis (18th) and Phillip Tietz (19th). And not much happened on the other side either, the Gladbach fans who had traveled with them had to wait over half an hour until the first dangerous shot.

Kleindienst (31st), who was called up to the German national team squad for the first time on Thursday, missed the goal by a good meter – and received an object lesson from Schlotterbeck a little later. The defender took full risk with a rebound and hit it powerfully under the crossbar.

After the uneventful first half, both teams had clearly planned something: Cvancara (47'), Kleindienst (63') and Giannoulis (54') each missed good chances. Claude-Maurice used his first shortly after his substitution, Kleindienst scored at the other end from a corner apiece.