Borussia Monchengladbach continued their 100% record at home at the start of the Bundesliga season with a comprehensive 4-1 win over newly promoted Eintracht Braunschweig.
Good movement combined with poor defending saw Gladbach go 2-0 up. First Oscar Wendt rifled into the bottom corner before Raffael scored an unmarked header.
The visitors rallied to pull one back through Mirko Boland but a Max Kruse penalty and a second from Raffael sealed the points.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello fussball fans! The new weekend of Budnesliga action kicks off right here. Tonight we have two of the longest names in European football - Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Eintracht Braunschweig.
Certainly neither of these sides have set the league on fire thus far. Braunschweig were in danger of losing their first four on their return to the Bundesliga, but a late(ish) equaliser from Omar Elabdellaoui against Nuremberg got them a point.
Gladbach have been the epitome of inconsistency so far. Their results have gone from defeat to win consecutively since the opening day loss to Bayern Munich. If they keep that pattern then tonight will be a win.
Without any further rambling, it's time for the team news.
GLADBACH XI: Ter Stegen; Jantschke, Stranzl, Dominguez, Wendt; Kramer, Xhaka; Herrmann, Arango, Raffael; Kruse
BRAUNSCHWEIG XI: Petkovic; Kessen, Bicackic, Dogan, Reichel; Caligiuri, Theuerkauf; Elabdellaoui, Boland, Bellarabi; Kumbela
That Gladbach side should have too much for Braunschweig, but of course the game is not played on paper. In particular Patrick Herrmann and Raffael love to get forward in support of Max Kruse.
Elabdellaoui, Braunschweig's goalscorer from the last game, will probably be their main threat again tonight. Karim Bellarabi also has the potential to change the game, but if he is kept quiet early on he tends to drift out of matches.
A look at the odds confirms that it is a big ask for the away side tonight. If you fancy them - I suppose some people might - you can back them at 8-1, with the hosts at 2-5. For me, it'll be a reasonably comfortable home win, possibly around 2-0.
The players are out and we're just about ready to get underway. The player to watch for me will be Raffael, who will drift behind Kruse and make up a lot of ground.
KICKOFF: Here we go then. And immediately Bellarabi is booked for a cynical early foul. That might be the quickest I've ever seen.
Another tasty foul there, this time from Caligiuri on Xhaka. That's probably worse than the one Bellarabi was booked for, but the referee does not want to get silly early on.
The hosts have started the better side, as you might expect. No chances yet but they have seen a lot of the ball. Juan Arango tries to cross from deep but it's easy for Petkovic to gather.
Kumbela overhits his pass as Bellarabi looked to get in behind off the shoulder of Dominguez. A better ball and there might have been a half-chance, but it went out for a goal kick instead.
OFF THE LINE! Gladbach are almost ahead! Kruse does really well on the right and cuts back to Raffael. His effort beats the keeper but hits Kessen on the line. He has to score from there, even with a couple of bodies in front of him.
MISS! Magical from Raffael at first, who takes the ball down superbly and feeds Arango. His cross is spilled at the feet of the Brazilian, but from very close range he puts the ball over the bar - Petkovic did well enough to put him off I think, but he could have two already Raffael.
Still Gladbach are bossing this with their passing. Xhaka is holding the midfield line quite high, which is allowing the forward players to have space.
CLOSE! Brilliant from Bellarabi. He dances his way through a sea of defenders who do not want to commit and shoots from just outside the box, with his effort going narrowly wide.
Since that effort from Bellarabi Braunschweig have settled into the game and are seeing a lot more of the ball. Wendt gets in to tackle and hoofs clear, which means Braunschweig start again from the back. A good spell this, but they need to work a chance.
Kruse's starting berth up front is cosmetic only. He has been central, right and now left early on. His pass finds Xhaka in space, but his angled pass into the box is cut out and the hosts are forced back to Ter Stegen.
That has to go down as a wasted chance for the visitors. Kumbele brings it down and puts it wide to Bellarabi, but the return cross is far too deep which allows Ter Stegen to gather. At the other end Raffael goes down a bit softly under the challenge of Bicackic. He has to be booked for that, a shocking dive.
GOAL! Gladbach 1-0 Braunschweig (Oscar Wendt)
That's a great goal. Wendt bursts forward from left back and gets nearly to the byline. He cuts inside Kessen, who has taken out shares in the dummy shop after that, and fires low into the corner on his weaker right foot. Excellent finish.
BOOKING: Xhaka goes into the book and he can have no complaints. Caligiuri spins him, but Xhaka has a hold of his shirt so he cannot break into the box. Free kick around 25 yards out here...
Awful. Boland strikes straight into the wall, then his teammates are all offside as the shot comes in from Dogan afterwards.
GOAL DISALLOWED: What a move that is. Herrmann starts it with a backheel to Kruse, who plays is straight back. He delays his pass to Raffael and then dinks it through but the Brazilian was a yard off as he rounded the keeper to finish.
Hit and hope from Xhaka, who has had enough of his tight passing game and shoots low from well out. It's gone a long way wide, however.
GOAL! Gladbach 2-0 Braunschweig (Raffael)
That's a superb move. It's pinged wide left to Arango, who then finds Kruse. The striker crosses from the left to Raffael, who had made the run from deep. He makes no mistake with his header with absolutely no-one near him. The movement is too much for the visitors.
Herrmann tries to go all the way, twisting and turning from the right. However, it's good defending in the end as Gladbach look really fired up for it.
It's just brilliant movement. The midfield, in particular Xhaka, is involved and Herrmann cuts inside from the right but is brought down on the edge of the box by Reichel who had left his foot in. Unplayable he was then, as Arango wastes it by shooting when he has to cross.
Braunschweig are just lacking creativity at the vital moment. A free kick is cleared to Dogan on the left side, but his cross is massively overhit and goes out for a throw.
The visitors are finishing the half the stronger side, with Kumbela seeing more and more of the ball. They still haven't had a real chance and have the threat of Gladbach's breaks to deal with as well.
HALF-TIME: Gladbach 2-0 Braunschweig
Not a second of stoppage time there. The hosts are well and truly in control of this and if there are to be any more goals it is very likely that they will come for Gladbach. Their defence has completely shut out Braunschweig in the opening 45.
How can Braunschweig get back into this? Well for a start they need a better final ball. Too many times has Kumbela, Boland or Bellarabi seen their pass go out of play high up the pitch. They also need to reduce the high passes - Stranzl and Dominguez are lapping them up.
Really the defending was poor on both goals, but it was the movement from Gladbach that was great to see. Kessen has been targeted on both occasions; firstly he was dragged out of position and then run rings around by Kruse.
The players are back out under the full moon. At least the away side are - just as against Nuremberg they have been sent out quickly for the second half.
KICKOFF: The hosts get us back underway. I don't believe there have been any changes just yet.
Kruse looks to get through early in the half but his heavy tough allows Theuerkauf and he's then brought down by the striker. Good play. Reichel is down here after a coming together with Jantschke, but he's up and should be ok.
The second half has started in a very similar pattern to the first. Gladbach are passing it around with comfort, although the movement up top has not yet been quite so fluid. Braunschweig as still sitting deep and looking to counter.
SAVE! Ter Stegen tested for the first time in the match. It was Bellarabi again who drove forward and shot, but it was at a comfortable height for the keeper to push wide.
Braunschweig are having a spell of possession football here, but again the final ball is woeful. Bellarabi, as you might expect, is the one on the ball but his deep cross goes long and out of play. No danger.
GOAL! Gladbach 2-1 Braunschweig (Boland)
That's a really well worked goal. Bellarabi is sent away down the right by Caligiuri. He looks up and picks out the run of Boland with a superb ow cross. Braunschweig have something to fight for here and they have deserved that this half.
CHANCE! It could be 2-2! Bellarabi crosses for Kumbela, who has to reach behind him for the header somewhat and plants it wide. Dreadful marking on him and Gladbach are in disarray.
The goal still hasn't woken up Gladbach in this half. Their passing is sloppy and they are dropping ever deeper, inviting the pressure. However, they break here through Herrmann who is brought down by Dogan just on the right side of the box. Free kick.
MISS! Oh dear Kruse! Gladbach break with Herrmann send away down the right. Kruse tries to put it in with his boot but should have flung himself on to it with his head. He complains about the cross, but that has to go in.
BRAUNSCHWEIG SUB: Orhan Ademi comes on for Kumbela. The latter just did not get in the game at all and the introduction of pace is an interesting move.
PENALTY TO GLADBACH!
That is atrocious defending. Xhaka sets Herrmann away once more and after his cutback is cut out by Caligiuri Arango nips in and is then brought down. He was too slow and pulled down Arango. He can't complain really.
GOAL! Gladbach 3-1 Braunschweig (Max Kruse)
Fantastic penalty. Calm as you like. He sends Petkovic the wrong way and rolls it into the bottom corner. That will probably be that now.
The visitors are still coming forward and Bellarabi continues to see a lot of the ball. It isn't quite desperate times but they must know how big an ask this is to pull level now.
GOAL! Gladbach 4-1 Braunschweig (Raffael)
Arango does well down the left and pulls it across to Kruse. His shot is deflected which means that Petkovic can only parry in front of him, with Raffael following in for a tap-in. Havard Nordveidt comes on for Xhaka in the aftermath.
The home fans are now in full voice. There was a bit of discontent after the Braunschweig goal, but they are witnessing their side's third home win from three.
GLADBACH SUB: Another change for the hosts. Branimir Hrgota comes on for the quite outstanding Herrmann. Reichel for one will be delighted with that sub.
BRAUNSCHWEIG SUBS: Not that it really matters, but the visitors make two changes. Kruppke and Jackson are on for Boland and Elabdellaoui.
Braunschweig haven't been that bad, but Gladbach have been superb. If it ends at 4-1 it is a little flattering, but they certainly deserve the win.
GLADBACH SUB: Amin Younes is on for the last couple of minutes with Arango making way.
OFF THE BAR! What an effort! Nordveidt hammers a late free kick against the woodwork.
FULL-TIME: Gladbach 4-1 Braunschweig
Gladbach's 100% home start continues and they were thoroughly deserving of the win. The penalty in the second half turned it in their favour, and really 4-1 is slightly harsh on the visitors.
That's all from me here. I'll be back over the weekend with lots more German football so be sure to come back to us at SM. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
