Monchengladbach 1-5 Bayern Munich: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Die Roten Join Dortmund at the Top
Bayern Munich went level on points with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga with an emphatic 5-1 win against Borussia Monchengladbach at Borussia-Park.
It took just two minutes for Bayern to take the lead through a Javi Martinez header from a James Rodriguez corner, which survived a VAR check for an alleged push from the Spaniard, after Yann Sommer kept out Robert Lewandowski's effort just seconds earlier.
Die Roten doubled their lead after 11 minutes through Thomas Muller, who was quickest to react and finish from close range, after he was initially denied by Sommer, although Gladbach did halve the deficit eight minutes before the interval when a well-worked move was finished by Lars Stindl, who fired past Manuel Neuer at his near-post.
Bayern start to the second half mirrored that of the opening 45 minutes, as Lewandowski finally got a goal that his play deserved two minutes after the restart by lashing the ball home beyond a helpless Sommer to give the visitors a two-goal cushion once again.
Their lead was extended to 4-1 with 15 minutes remaining through the always-dangerous Serge Gnabry, who was on hand to lash home from close-range, with Sommer's efforts to deny Lewandowski once again, before the Pole converted from the spot to make it five in added time, after Kimmich was adjudged to have been brought down inside the area to cap a dominant win.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
Player Ratings
Starting XI: Sommer (8); Lang (4), Ginter (5), Elvedi (5), Wendt (5); Neuhaus (5), Kramer (5), Hofmann (5); Hazard (6), Stindl (6), Plea (5).
Substitutes: Zakaria (7), Raffael (5), Johnson (5).
BAYERN MUNICH
Key Talking Point
Jörg Schüler/GettyImages
With the incentive of going level on points with Borussia Dortmund at the summit of the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich started the game against Borussia Monchengladbach like a freight train, scoring two goals inside 11 minutes.
Had it not been for the efforts of Yann Sommer, who produced excellent saves to deny Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry, Bayern could've wrapped up the result by half-time, yet instead they only found themselves only one-goal ahead due to Lars Stindl's strike at the end of the half.
Die Roten however stunned their hosts with a goal two minutes after the restart, and never looked in danger from then on. Niko Kovac, who was under increasing pressure earlier in his tenure, is still on course for a treble, having guided Bayern to the top of the Bundesliga, level on points with BVB.
Player Ratings
Starting XI: Neuer (6); Kimmich (7), Sule (6), Boateng (6), Rafinha (7); Thiago (8), Martinez (7); Muller (8*), Rodriguez (7), Gnabry (8); Lewandowski (8).
Substitutes: Sanches (6), Davies (N/A), Jeong (N/A).
STAR MAN
SASCHA SCHUERMANN/GettyImages
There were outstanding performances all over the pitch for Bayern Munich, however Thomas Muller was the pick of the bunch, who's movement from wide areas was too much at times for Die Fohlen.
The German got in on the scoring act to make it 2-0 after 11 minutes, while he produced a typically industrious display during his 86 minutes on the field; although in truth, any one of Bayern's midfielders and forwards could've earned the award such was their dominance.
Looking Ahead
Borussia Monchengladbach will be hoping to end a run of four league games without a win when they face Mainz away from home in a weeks time, as they look to keep hold of their place in the top four.
Bayern Munich meanwhile welcome Wolsburg to Allianz Arena in the next round of league fixtures, before their attention turn to the Champions League, when they face Liverpool in the second leg of their round of 16 tie.
