Runaway 5-1 win for the Werkself at Borussia Park

"We've finally picked up our first away win," declared a happy Sven Bender. "My goal at the start of the second half got us going today. At half-time we said we were still in it. We only need a quick goal. And we put that into action perfectly."

Julian Brandt said after the runaway victory: "It's just one of those days: Bernd saved us going 2-0 down in the first half and we levelled at 1-1 at the start of the second. Suddenly everything was flowing and a lot went right."

Bayer 04 coach Heiko Herrlich made two changes to the side that started against Wolfsburg: Julian Baumgartlinger and Kai Havertz replaced Dominik Kohr and Julian Brandt. It was Bundesliga game 150 for Baumgartlinger. Charles Aránguiz was back in the squad after recovering from a calf injury. For the  hosts, coach Dieter Hecking played the young Frenchman Mickael Cuisance  in place of the injured Christoph Kramer.
Herrlich, who played up front for Borussia between 1993 and 1995, talked about a crucial match in the build-up to today's game. "The focus today is on defence. We need to keep a clean sheet."

Early strike from Johnson

The Werkself were only able to maintain that intention up to the seventh minute at Borussia Park. Gladbach took the lead with their first successful attack: Thorgen Hazard crossed to the far post from the right where Fabian Johnson beat Panos Retsos to the ball to volley his side into a 1-0 lead.

The hosts started better than the Werkself who had to thank Bernd Leno for keeping out a second goal on 60 minutes. A cross  from the left found Hazard unmarked three yards out but Leno was able to make an impressive reflex save to frustrate the Gladbach player.

Three minutes later and the Werkself posed the first real threat to the Gladbach goal. Retsos floated in a cross from the right to the far post where Leon Bailey volleyed the ball into the side netting. That was immediately followed by a Bayer 04 attack with Kai Havertz heading the ball onto the top of the goal on 20 minutes after good work by Sven Bender.

The Werkself were back on track and close to levelling. Bayer 04 upped the tempo and were quicker to challenge the hosts. At the same time, that did give Gladbach more space at times. Retsos was alert on 38 minutes when he managed to get his foot to the ball as Oscar Wendt was about to shoot in the box.

It was bad luck when Nico Elvedi fouled Lars Bender to prevent the Werkself counter-attacking as Bailey would have been in a great position on the right side of the park on 41 minutes. Just before the break, Gladbach produced another threatening move in the Leverkusen penalty area. However, Hazard failed to connect properly with the pass from Elvedi. The hosts could have done better.

Swift leveller from Sven Bender after the restart

Herrlich brought on Julian Brandt in place of Lucas Alario at the start of the second half. Kevin Volland played in the central striker role with Bailey on the right and Brandt on the left. And the Werkself were quickly out of the blocks and up to full speed. Two minutes had been played when Denis Zakaria blocked Volland as he  was about to shoot. But the Werkself soon went one better. Havertz flicked on a corner from Wendell with his head and Sven Bender forced the ball over the line with his knee on 48 minutes. The equaliser! A great start to the second half for Bayer 04. And the Werkself wanted more. Brandt put Volland through but the Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer was able to make the save on 53 minutes.

Double whammy from Bailey and Brandt

The visitors turned the game round six minutes later. Havertz passed to Bailey and the Jamaican hit the ball into the bottom left corner on 59 minutes. Gladbach had hardly recovered from that setback when Bayer 04 struck again. Havertz gained possession, put through a great ball to Brandt on the left and the Germany international fired a shot into the net from a tight angle to make it 3-1 just after the hour mark. The double whammy from the Werkself had the hosts on the ropes.

Bayer 04 dominated  proceedings and they were keen to press home the advantage. Everything went right for the Werkself and nothing for Borussia. A fine pass from Wendell found Volland and his low drive left Sommer helpless in the Borussia goal. 4-1 to Bayer 04 on 69 minutes

Danger rounds it off

An outstanding performance from the Werkself in the second half. Bayer 04 were clinical in exploiting their advantage and an excellent pass from Brandt put substitute Joel Pohjanpalo through to make it 5-1 on 81 minutes.That sealed the first away win of the season. And what a win it was.

The Werkself are back in action on Tuesday 24 October. Bayer 04 entertain second division FC Union Berlin in the second round of the  DFB Cup. The match kicks off at 18.30 CET.

Match stats:

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer – Elvedi, Ginter, Vestergaard, Wendt - Zakaria, Cuisance (Hofmann 66') - Hazard, F. Johnson (Traore 66') - Stindl (Herrmann 84'), Raffael

Bayer 04: Leno – Retsos, Tah, S. Bender, Wendell – Baumgartlinger, L. Bender – Bailey (Bellarabi 84'), Havertz – Volland (Pohjanpalo 79'), Alario (Brandt 46')

Goals: 1-0 Johnson (7'), 1-1 S. Bender (48'), 1-2 Bailey (59'), 1-3 Brandt (61'), 1-4 Volland (69'), 1-5 Pohjanpalo (82')

Booked: Elvedi, Vestergaard, Zakaria

Referee: Bastian Dankert (Rostock)

Attendance: 53,053