For Borussia Mönchengladbach, the 5-2 win in the Rheinderby was salvation after a difficult few months. The jubilation is emotional. 1. FC Köln is having a used day.
A game that warmed the soul for Borussia Mönchengladbach after a difficult year and a half: With the 5: 2 (2: 1) in the 95th first division Rheinderby against 1. FC Köln, Borussia shot a lot of frustration from their souls.
“A nice Borussia day,” enthused captain Lars Stindl, who was still visibly emotional after the game, in the face of a win that could have been even better. “We’ll have one or two Altbiers now.”
Gladbach’s Stindl: “It’s just good”
After three derby defeats in a row, Borussia savored the deserved success against their decimated archrival on Sunday to the fullest. “Derby winner, Derby winner”, the players and fans shouted together through the sold-out Borussia Park and a little later presented a fan poster with the same slogan “Derby winner” while dancing on the lawn. The duels with the archrival had caused a lot of frustration since 2020 and symbolized two difficult seasons under coaches Marco Rose and Adi Hütter.
“It’s just good after the last 18 months, which weren’t easy for us,” said Stindl, who decided the game shortly after the break with his brilliant long-range shot to make it 3-1 (47th minute). The Cologne team were already outnumbered because Florian Kainz, who had equalized Marvin Friedrich’s lead (27th) with a penalty kick (31st), saw yellow-red in injury time in the first half.
Kainz had elbowed his opponent Jonas Hofmann in the skull. Ramy Bensebaini, who had caught a used day in the 1: 5 at Werder Bremen in the previous week, completed the penalty kick confidently (45 + 2). In the second half, FC, who had won the previous three derbies, “got their ass full” – as Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart put it. Again Bensebaini (76′) and Marcus Thuram (90′ + 1′) made things clear when Denis Huseinbasic (83′) conceded a goal, which could have been even clearer.
“We just didn’t do well with ten men,” complained defender Timo Hübers. “We’re pretty frustrated now.” To make matters worse, Dejan Ljubicic is threatened with a longer break. “He’ll be out for a long time and he’s in shit,” said Baumgart, who had to replace the offensive player in the first half after a foul by Bensebaini.
Cologne’s Kessler: “It’s important that we stay with us”
“It’s bitter for us,” complained Cologne’s sporting director Thomas Kessler after FC’s worst derby defeat since April 2011. “It’s important that we stick to ourselves.” With 15 points from nine games, Gladbach has now passed Cologne (13) in sixth place in the table.
“Coming back like that after a game in Bremen that was not easy to digest is strong,” said Gladbach coach Daniel Farke, who deliberately did not change his team. “This squad has earned so much credit over the past few months,” said the 45-year-old. “This reaction shows class and a great mentality. We’re really on the right track.”
This inspired his players so much that the scorer of the fifth Gladbach goal allowed himself to be carried away to a little meanness. “Have you seen Modeste?” Thuram called through the catacombs after the game. Like the former Cologne fan favorite Anthony Modeste, his French compatriot Thuram had shaped his fingers into glasses in front of his eyes after scoring on the side of the FC fans. The people of Cologne could no longer be annoyed by the sheer frustration of the game.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
