Nathan Ngoumou and Marcus Thuram goals see Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Wolfsburg
Nathan Ngoumou's first Bundesliga goal and Marcus Thuram's 13th of the season were enough for Borussia Mönchengladbach to earn a 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg on Sunday.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 Wolfsburg
Goals: 1-0 Ngoumou (assist: Thuram) 34', 2-0 Thuram (assist: Plea) 63'
The visitors made a bright start in the Gladbach sunshine and looked to have taken a deserved start after just 10 minutes as Omar Marmoush raced onto Felix Nmecha's through ball and fired into the back of the net. Marmoush was found to have moved too early, though, and was denied his opener for offside, giving the Foals an early reprieve. Gladbach had barely threatened going forward but found themselves in front on 34 minutes. Koen Casteels' poor pass out from the back was pounced upon by the home midfield, feeding Thuram to in-turn tee up Ngoumou on the right edge of the box before the Frenchman cut inside and lashed beyond Casteels on his left foot. It took the wind out of Wolfsburg, who will have been wondering how they were behind at half-time.
The Wolves struggled to regain control at the start of the second half, while Gladbach were vastly improved now they had the lead. They went on to double their advantage just over the hour mark, ramming home their advantage and putting Daniel Farke's side on course for their first victory since Matchday 21. It was another goal made in France, this time Alassane Plea teeing up an unmarked Thuram to head home from close range. The home side went on to comfortably see out the win, moving them on to 35 points after 27 games. That puts them 10th in the league table and just four points back from Wolfsburg in ninth.
Match stats
- Ngoumou scored his first Bundesliga goal in his 14th league outing since joining Gladbach last summer.
- Thuram's assist and goal take him to 17 goal contributions in the top-flight this term (13 goals, four assists).
- Meanwhile, Plea's assist was his ninth in the league this term. Only Randal Kolo Muani (10) and Raphael Guerreiro (11) have provided more so far in 2022/23.
- Gladbach are now unbeaten in seven meetings with Wolfsburg (W3, D3) and haven't lost to the Wolves since a 2-1 defeat in December 2019.
- American teenager Kevin Paredes came on for his 20th Bundesliga appearance. He has started just one of those matches.
- Defeat for Wolfsburg was their first since Matchday 22 and ends their five match unbeaten run (W2, D3).
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Teams
Gladbach: Omlin - Scally (Lainer 76'), Itakura, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Kramer, Neuhaus (Friedrich 90'+2) - Ngoumou (Wolf 69'), Stindl (c) (Hofmann 69'), Plea (Netz 90'+2) - Thuram
Unused subs: Olschowsky, Weigl, Fraulo, Herrmann
Out: Jantschke (meniscus), Kone (suspended), Sanches (ankle)
Coach: Daniel Farke
Wolfsburg: Casteels - Fischer (Guilavogui 81'), Lacroix, Van de Ven, Otavio - F. Nmecha, Arnold (c) (Paredes 59'), Gerhardt (Waldschmidt 59') - Svanberg, Marmoush (Wind 71'), Kaminski
Unused subs: Pervan, Cozza, Bornauw, Ambros, Pejcinovic
Out: Baku (suspended), Franjic (muscular), L. Nmecha (knee), Wimmer (suspended)
Coach: Niko Kovac
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