Borussia Monchengladbach secured their place in the Bundesliga for another season after Haris Tabakovic scored late to earn a 1-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund
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BERLIN — Borussia Monchengladbach secured their place in the Bundesliga for another season after Haris Tabakovic scored late to earn a 1-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund.
The victory left 11th-placed Gladbach beyond the reach of the bottom three with two matches remaining and ended a run of five games without a win. Dortmund, which could have sealed second place with success, stays five points ahead of third-placed RB Leipzig with a far superior goal difference.
Coach Eugen Polanski made one change from the 0-0 draw at VfL Wolfsburg, bringing in 17-year-old Wael Mohya for the suspended Jens Castrop. Niko Kovac started 18-year-old Luca Reggiani for the foot-injured Ramy Bensebaini after the 4-0 win over SC Freiburg.
Gladbach settled quicker after a scrappy opening. Joe Scally had the first attempt in the 19th minute, and Nico Elvedi soon volleyed in from a Stoger free-kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Elvedi also headed wide before Tabakovic was stopped by Gregor Kobel from close range.
Dortmund produced little before the break, with Samuele Inacio forcing only a routine save from Moritz Nicolas in stoppage time. Gladbach remained sharper after the interval, Tabakovic prodding just past the left post in the 48th minute after a driven ball from Honorat.
Dortmund improved without taking control. Julian Brandt, Julian Ryerson, Inacio, Marcel Sabitzer and Fabio Silva all missed chances, while Yannik Engelhardt and Rocco Reitz failed to punish Dortmund's profligacy.
Reitz then unlocked Dortmund's defense with a through ball in the 88th minute, sending Tabakovic clear on goal. The striker kept his composure in front of Kobel and rolled the ball into the bottom right corner.
The effort was initially disallowed for offside, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review, leaving Gladbach to see out the closing moments and celebrate survival with two games to spare.
"The defeat really annoys me because we did not show what you have to show in a Bundesliga match. Gladbach showed us today the intensity you need to play with if you want to take points in the Bundesliga," said Niko Kovac.
Elsewhere, Mainz secured Bundesliga survival as goals from Philip Tietz and Philipp Mwene sealed a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened St. Pauli, while Freiburg snatched a late 1-1 draw to deepen Wolfsburg's relegation worries.