Borussia beat Dutch top-tier side in successful friendly

The Foals won their first and only friendly match of the winter break 3-2 against Go Ahead Eagles. Alassane Plea and Robin Hack in the first half and Shio Fukuda of the U23s in the second were the goalscorers for Borussia. Stefan Lainer also celebrated his return to the side.

The Foals and Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles played out what was from the beginning an entertaining encounter on the FohlenPlatz at BORUSSIA-PARK. The match was played over four periods of 30 minutes. Borussia took more and more control of the first half as the game went on and created a whole host of goalscoring chances. Alassane Plea took one of these to put Gladbach ahead after 17 minutes. Robin Hack scored the Foals’ second during the second quarter.

After the break, the two completely changed XIs initially played out an even game, before the visitors began to pile on the pressure at the end of the third quarter and equalised through two goals in eight minutes. Oliver Edvardsen firstly got one back before Dario Serra made it 2-2. In the final stages, the guests actually had more of the game, but it was the Foals who found the winning goal. U23 player Shio Fukuda emphatically made it 3-2 after great work from Rocco Reitz.

TEAM NEWS

First half: Moritz Nicolas was in goal for the Foals in the first half. The back four was made up of Stefan Lainer, who celebrated his return to the side, Marvin Friedrich, Nico Elvedi and Fabio Chiarodia. Borussia’s vice-captains Julian Weigl and Florian Neuhaus started in midfield. Patrick Herrmann, Manu Koné and Robin Hack played in behind striker Alassane Plea up front.

Second half: Jan Olschowsky started in goal for the second half, while Joe Scally, Tony Jantschke, Max Wöber and Luca Netz made up the back four in front of him. Ko Itakura and Christoph Kramer featured in central midfield, with Nathan Ngoumou, Rocco Reitz and Grant-Leon Ranos ahead of them. Jordan was deployed as the frontman.

Jonas Omlin and Lukas Ullrich (both recovering from shoulder operations), Franck Honorat (back in training after a gastrointestinal virus) and Tomáš Čvančara (rolled ankle) were all unavailable for the game.

FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

9’: Really good play from Borussia. Chiarodia plays a one-two with Hack and plays a beautiful pass through to Herrmann. The long-serving Borussia man finds himself in a shooting position on the right-hand side of the box. However, Eagles goalkeeper Jansen is able to make a fingertip save, deflecting the ball into the side netting.

17’: The Foals take the lead! Neuahus plays the ball out to Lainer, who in turn sends a cross into the middle. Plea is hanging in the air and heads the ball into the corner to make it 1-0.

SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

43’: Hack extends Borussia’s lead! Herrmann sprints down the right flank and crosses the ball into the centre of the box, where Hack is in a perfect position, slotting home with ease for 2-0.

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

79’: The visitors get a goal back! They get forward quickly with combinational play and set up Edvardsen on the edge of the box, with him finding the far corner from the right-hand side of the penalty area to make it 2-1.

84’: A great solo run from Netz. The Germany U21 international picks up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, beats an opposition player and strikes just wide of the post.

87’: The visitors equalise. Go Ahead Eagles attack with pace after the Foals lose the ball in their own half. The ball comes to Serra at the edge of the box after touches from Adekanye, Dejil and Stokkers, with the Spaniard also finding the far corner and it’s 2-2.

FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

114’: Reitz wins the ball back well on the edge of the opposition’s box and then picks out Fukuda. The Japanese player turns, shakes off his opponent and then fires the Foals back ahead at 3-2.

STATISTICS

Borussia:

First half: Nicolas, Lainer (31’ Walde), Friedrich, Elvedi, Chiarodia, Weigl, Neuhaus, Herrmann, Koné, Hack, Plea

Second half: Olschowsky (91’ Sippel), Scally, Jantschke (106’ Borges Sanches), Wöber, Netz, Itakura, Kramer, Ngoumou, Reitz, Ranos, Jordan (106’ Fukuda)

Go Ahead Eagles:

1st half: Jansen, Everink (16’ Weijenberg), Amofa, Nauber, Kuipers, Linthorst, Llansana, Fernandes, V. Edvardsen, Breum, Sow

2nd half: Mulder, Deijl, Saathof, Kramer, James, O. Edvardsen, Blomme, Adekanye, Stokkers, Serra, Rommens

Goals: 1-0 Plea (17’), 2-0 Hack (43’), 2-1 O. Edvardsen (79’), 2-2 Serra (87’), 3-2 Fukuda (114’)

Yellow cards: Chiarodia, Lainer, Kramer

Referee: Jonah Samuel Njie Besong (Duisburg)

Attendance: 1,068 (FohlenPlatz)