Borussia Monchengladbach had lost all six of their Bundesliga games this season and were one more defeat away from the worst start the league has ever seen. On Friday night, with a squad stitched together from whoever was fit, they went to Stuttgart and won 3-2. It was also the first victory for coach Alexander Blessin since he took charge, and it came in the city where he was born.
Nothing about the build-up suggested a turnaround. Around a dozen players were unavailable, so Blessin called up youngsters from the club’s fourth-tier reserve team. The night started badly too: Ermedin Demirovic struck from long range after five minutes, and goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas got a hand to the shot without keeping it out. Stuttgart created more openings in the first half hour but failed to add to their lead.
Then the visitors found their feet. Joe Scally levelled in the 38th minute with a cheeky backheel, and 17-year-old Wael Mohya rattled the crossbar before the break. Six minutes after the restart Mohya beat two defenders on the flank and set up Shuto Machino, who drilled the ball into the top corner. Mohya then headed in a third himself after a scramble at the far post. Demirovic pulled one back late on, but Gladbach held out.
“We threw everything in today,” Blessin said afterwards. Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who had made six changes after a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, was blunt, saying a good 30 minutes is not enough to win a Bundesliga match. Stuttgart stay on six points and drift toward the relegation places. Gladbach host Karlsruhe in the German Cup on Tuesday before a vital league meeting with fellow strugglers Paderborn next Saturday.
