Bayer 04 lose game and Bailey

"We have to work together as a team and not rely so much on individuals. We applied a lot of pressure and were brave in the second half but the crucial factor was that we are again playing catch up in the second half," said Volland. Sven Bender summed the situation up succinctly: "It's all about being better and more alert in defence. We didn't do that in the two situations that led to us conceding.”

In comparison to the DFB Cup game against SC Paderborn in the week, Peter Bosz made three changes to his starting line-up: Lars Bender (thigh injury) Aleksandar Dragovic and Nadiem Amiri (both on the bench) were replaced by Wendell, Sven Bender and Kerem Demirbay. The Brazilian left back had recovered from the thigh injury picked up in the game against Eintracht Frankfurt on 18 October. More good news: Charles Aránguiz, four weeks after a hairline fracture in the right metatarsal from the game against Leipzig (5 October), and Leon Bailey, following a torn muscle in the Frankfurt game, were available again and in the squad against the league leaders.

The aim of the Werkself was clear: A win against the top team would have seen Leverkusen reduce the gap to Gladbach to one point. The hosts were straight out of the blocks and forced three corners in the first five minutes. The first attempts on goal were not particularly threatening: A Demirbay shot from the edge of the box was blocked by a Gladbach defender (11') and a whipped-in cross from Volland was safely gathered by the Borussia keeper Yann Sommer (13'). The league leaders demonstrated their efficiency at the other end: Thuram benefited from a slip by Wendell on the right side of the penalty area, Wendt slipped between Weiser and Bellarabi and had no problem converting a low cross from close range to give the visitors the lead on 18 minutes.

Alario's perfect pass to Volland

The Werkself had to regroup – and they produced an impressive reaction: Lucas Alario put through a sensational pass to Volland and he went through on Sommer, dummied the keeper, and slotted the ball into the back of the net – 1-1 (25') and the fifth goal of the season for Volland. The goal gave the Werkself a real boost and Sommer was called into action to punch away a diagonal shot from Bellarabi just before the half-hour mark. Volland stumbled but still tried to shoot as he fell to the ground but his effort lacked force or threat (31'). A cross-shot from Wendt was saved by Lukas Hradecky at the second attempt at the near post – a nasty one for the keeper (34'). Then it was impressive the way Weiser slid in at the right moment to put Florian Neuhaus of the shot in the box (40').

Alario fails to convert chance

The visitors had a trick up their sleeve before the half-time break. Thuram only needed to stick his foot out to a cross from the right from Patrick Herrman to make it 2-1 (41') with the goal being almost a copy of the first Gladbach strike. Bayer 04 could have hit back straightaway but a blunder by Matthias Ginter saw Alario hit his shot just wide of the target (44') – the Werkself should have been level. Gladbach took the lead into half-time.

For the start of the second 45, Peter Bosz brought on the Chilean midfielder Charles Aránguiz in place of Julian Baumgartlinger – an indication there was a need for greater determination and resolve in tackles for the Werkself. Bayer 04 were camped in the Gladbach half and endeavoured to play with tempo and pressure. A handball by Stefan Lainer did not instigate a whistle from the referee or an intervention from the VAR from Cologne (53'). A Sven Bender header from a Demirbay free kick lacked the necessary power (55'). Then Hradecky saved with his feet to keep out Neuhaus as he was about to make it 3-1 following a mistake by Weiser (56').

Bellarabi twice denied by Sommer

There was end-to-end action from this point. Demirbay skilfully allowed a pass from Havertz to run through to the better-placed Alario but the Argentinian fired the ball over the top of the net (58’). Then it was a case of Kerem to Karim. Demirbay played an excellent pass to Bellarabi but Sommer saved with his foot (60'). The Werkself then had a corner ratio of 9 to 0. A rocket from Bellarabi was punched over at the last second by Sommer (68'). Bosz made an attacking change bringing on Leon Bailey in place of Wendell. And Gladbach were lucky that a Volland header from a Bellarabi cross trickled just wide of the far post (70'). Amiri then came on for Demirbay and he had a decent game (72'). When Herrman beat Hradecky the goal was rightly disallowed for offside (76').

It was now all one-way traffic in the direction of the Gladbach goal. A curler from Bailey flew just over the bar on 78 minutes. Alario's artistic effort from a Bellarabi cross from the byline went on rewarded (81'). The Werkself pressed for the equaliser, cheered on by the fans in a sold-out BayArena. A disguised shot from Bellarabi was blocked by the Gladbach defence (83'). There were five minutes of added time and everything to play for. An Amiri effort was blocked (90+2'). Bayer 04 tried everything but without success. To cap it all, Bailey was shown a red card after the intervention of VAR for retaliation on Herrmann (90+5').

Bayer 04 face another game on Wednesday (6 November) with the Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. The kick-off at the BayArena is at 21.00 CET. The next Bundesliga fixture is on Sunday 10 November at 15.30 CET away to VfL Wolfsburg.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Hradecky – Weiser, Tah, S. Bender, Wendell (Bailey 69’) – Baumgartlinger (Aránguiz 46’), Demirbay (Amiri 72’) – Bellarabi, Havertz, Volland – Alario

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer – Jantschke, Ginter, Elvedi (Zakaria 69’) – Lainer, Kramer, Neuhaus, Hofmann (Bénes 80’), Wendt – Herrmann, Thuram (Stindl 65’)

Goals: 0:1 Wendt (18.), 1:1 Volland (25.), 1:2 Thuram (41.)

Referee: Daniel Siebert (Berlin)

Booked: Tah, Baumgartlinger – Hofmann

Sent off: Bailey (90+5'/ violent conduct)

Attendance: 30,210