The brilliant Marco Reus scored two and made three as Borussia Dortmund kept their slim title chances alive with a 6-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
The scoreline was harsh on Gladbach, who were competitive for much of the game before being overwhelmed in the last 20 minutes. Until then Dortmund were on course for an efficient rather than sparkling victory, having taken control with two goals in six first-half minutes. The captain Reus scored the first and made the second for Donyell Malen with a delicious through ball.
The home side didn’t have things all their own way. Their keeper Gregor Kobel made three important saves in the first half, and they were forced to make two changes before the break because of injuries to Gio Reyna and Dan-Axel Zagadou.
Monchengladbach almost got back into the game when Jonas Hofmann – once of Dortmund – blasted a drive against the crossbar in the second half. But the game was up soon after when the substitute Marius Wolf, who had just come on, rammed the ball into the net from Reus’s pass.
Reus completed a hat-trick of assists when his low cross was turned in by another substitute, 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko, and then scored his second after being put through by Mats Hummels. Emre Can completed the rout with an injury-time penalty.
TALKING POINT
Dortmund feel at home again
Dortmund’s last two games at the Westfalenstadion were disastrous – a 5-2 thrashing by Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and a shock 4-2 defeat to Rangers in the Europa League. A third straight loss might have given them a complex about playing at home, but they banished any doubts with this crushing and much-needed victory.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund). Pure class. He made three goals, scored two and made both creating and scoring look like the most natural thing in the world. He did everything with elegance and economy. The highlight was his beautiful first-time pass, waved nonchalantly with his left foot, that created the second goal for Donyell Maden.
PLAYER RATINGS
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel 8, Can 7, Hummels 6, Zagadou 6, Guerreiro 7, Dahoud 7, Bellingham 7, Reyna 6, Reus 10, Hazard 7, Malen 7. Subs: Brandt 7, Pongracic 6, Schulz 6, Moukoko 7, Wolf 7.
Borussia Monchengladbach: Sommer 6, Ginter 6, Friedrich 5, Elvedi 6, Lainer 6, Kone 6, Neuhaus 6, Bensebaini 5, Hofmann 7, Plea 7, Embolo 6. Subs: Thuram 5, Scally 5, Kramer 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
26’ – GOAL! Dortmund 1-0 Gladbach (Reus) Marco Reus has scored against his old club. Sommer made a good save from Malen but could only push the ball to Reus, who chested it down and slammed it into the net.
30’ – FINE SAVE FROM KOBEL! Gladbach almost equalise straight away. Hofmann plays a slick one-two with Embolo on the edge of the area and slides a low shot that is superbly blocked by Kobel.
32’ – GOAL! Dortmund 2-0 Gladbach (Malen) Dortmund double their lead! Reus, on the halfway line, swept a nonchalant pass to put Malen through on goal. His shot wasn’t the best, straight at Sommer, but it slithered under Sommer’s body and into the net.
62’ – HOFMAN HITS THE BAR! Gladbach almost pull one back with a terrific effort. Hofmann was put through in the inside-right channel and smashed a rising drive from the edge of the area that thumped off the bar.
70’ – GOAL! Dortmund 3-0 Gladbach (Wolf) Marius Wolf, who has just come on, seals the game for Dortmund. Reus created the chance with an inviting through ball, and Wolf sidefooted a fierce rising shot that thundered into the net off the underside of the crossbar. That’s an emphatic finish.
74’ – GOAL! Dortmund 4-0 Gladbach (Moukoko) Another substitute gets on the scoresheet! Youssoufa Moukoko taps in from five yards after yet another inviting pass by Marco Reus. That’s a hat-trick of assists for Reus, who also scored the opening goal.
82’ -GOAL! Dortmund 5-0 Gladbach (Reus) Marco Reus is having a day out against his old club. He has scored his second goal of the game, to go with three assists. Hummels moved forward from the back and poked a good ball through to Reus, who beat Sommer with aplomb.
90+1’ – GOAL! Dortmund 6-0 Gladbach (Can pen) Marco Reus is on a hat-trick – but it’s Emre Can who steps up to beat Sommer.
