Borussia Monchengladbach's miserable start to the Ruckrunde continued with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen on Friday night.
In the first half neither side managed to take control and there was just one real effort for each, with Patrick Herrmann and then Stefan Kiessling having efforts saved.
Bayer came out strongest in the second half and got themselves in front just after the hour, with Son Heung-Min's powerful strike just after the hour proving enough for all three points.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello Bundesliga fans! Round 20 of the league season is just about upon as and to kick off the new weekend we have Gladbach against Bayer in what looks a very interesting game indeed.
Neither side has much in the way of recent form to write home about. Gladbach's brilliant first half of the season looks very much to have come to an end as they have taken just two points from the last 12 available.
Leverkusen for a while were hot on the tails of Bayern Munich, but their recent run of three straight defeats - ended last weekend with a 2-0 victory - has left them 13 points behind the Bavarian side. A win here would restore the 10-point deficit, but probably only temporarily as Bayern play tomorrow.
I have the teams in, so let's take a look at who's playing tonight, shall we?
GLADBACH XI: Ter Stegen; Nordtveit, Jantschke, Stranzl, Wendt; Kramer, Xhaka; Herrmann, Arango; Raffael, Kruse
LEVERKUSEN XI: Leno; Hilbert, Toprak, Spahic, Can; Bender, Rolfes, Castro; Sam, Kiessling, Son
Gladbach subs: Heimeroth, Daems, Rupp, Dominguez, Mlapa, Younes, Hrgota
Leverkusen subs: Yelldell, Wollscheid, Derdiyok, Hegeler, Oztunati, Guardado, Donati
Interestingly, it appears as though Havard Nordtveit will play in the middle of the defence tonight. A midfielder by trade, he does have some height and could well do a job. However, I do see that as an area that Bayer could exploit. Stefan Kiessling could look to get stuck into an aerial battle with him.
A glance at the pre-match odds suggests that this one really could go either way, and I agree. The hosts are 13/8 while Bayer are 8/5. There is nothing to choose between them. If you fancy a draw - which is a strong possibility - then that is 12/5. I fancy it to be low scoring, whatever the outcome.
For what it's worth, I'm plumping for 1-1 tonight! The players are out which means that we're almost ready to get going here.
KICKOFF: The hosts, in white, get things underway then. It's a full house at Borussia-Park.
Can Gladbach get themselves back on form tonight? They were unbeatable here during the first half of the season, but lost to Bayern at home recently. They will not want to lose against another Champions League hopeful. Neither side has got their passing game going as yet.
It in fact looks as though Nordtveit is playing at right-back, with the much shorter Jantschke in the middle. It's an interesting team selection and will it pay off? Lars Bender is down here after landing on his shoulder following an aerial duel with Max Kruse.
Bender is back on the field and we're back underway. Juan Arango attempts a very ambitious attempt and it ends up well wide. To be fair to the left-winger, he didn't have many other options.
BOOKING: A Gladbach player has just been shown a yellow card on the bench. I think it's Wollscheid, because he threw the ball on the pitch as Gladbach went to take a throw. How bizarre.
Gladbach have settled into a passing rhythm here, although they have not yet created any chances. The same goes for the visitors, though. It's not been excellent thus far, that's for sure.
Leno shouts at his defence after he has to come out to gather the ball that they couldn't. Bayer are sluggish at the moment, but are set up to counter - they've not managed to yet.
Bayer are unable to deal with Gladbach's pressing game at the moment. The ball is given away to Kramer, who finds Xhaka and his ambitious shot is deflected wide for a fortunate corner.
SAVE! Really good effort there from Herrmann! The corner is played short and then clipped to the edge of the box where the winger meets it on the volley. Leno makes the save down low and that's the first time either stopper has been tested.
Arango is furious at the referee for being penalised in a tackle against Sidney Sam. I agree with the Gladbach man there - it looked to me as though he won the ball in that challenge.
The hosts are still pushing right up the pitch and continue to be on top because of that. They must start translating it into chances, though. Leno does well with a clearance after being closed down by Raffael.
This game continues to disappoint. Both sides are flying high but both - Leverkusen in particular - seem so keen not to concede that they aren't taking any risks. Leverkusen are keeping their shape in defence and Gladbach are struggling with the final ball - there's no space.
Really good defending then from Nordtveit. At first it looks as though Emre Can has the beating of him for pace, but the Norwegian gets back to win the ball with a sliding tackle then gets fouled.
BOOKING: Another card for a Leverkusen player and this time at least he's on the field. Can, still frustrated from a moment ago, brings down Kruse and goes into the book.
CLOSE! What a waste from Raffael! Gladbach are in with numbers for the first time in the game, but Raffael's pass to the right is intercepted. Just afterwards, Kruse strikes from outside the box but his excellent effort deflects over the bar. Leno was in trouble there I think.
Another chance around the box breaks down for the hosts. They're guilty of overplaying things at the moment, when a shot at goal might worry Leno - as Kruse showed a few minutes ago.
BOOKING: Clear yellow card for Kiessling there. He's frustrated as a move breaks down and clips the heels of Xhaka as the hosts looked to break. You can only get away with that once in a game.
Brilliant tackle there from Bender as Raffael looked to work a chance on the edge of the box. From it Bayer break and Son has Sam to his left as well as Kiessling to his right, but in the end he blazes his effort over.
It has opened up a little bit as we head towards half time. There has still been just the one real save that has been made. Bayer are seeing more of the ball as Gladbach drop off them slightly, but that just means it's the hosts' turn to be solid defensively.
Just as Spahic nicks the ball off the toe of Kruse as the Gladbach man thought he was going to have a chance on goal we have the indication of stoppage time. Just one minute.
HALF-TIME: Gladbach 0-0 Leverkusen
Well it's safe to say that this one can only improve - for a neutral, at least. Both coaches will be pretty happy with what they have seen from their respective defences, but both will want to see more going forward.
The game did open up towards the end of the half, but still not enough for any real chances. Kiessling had a shot straight at Ter Stegen for Bayer, while Herrmann tested Leno with a volley, but aside from those there has not been a lot of attacking play.
What options to the coaches have from the bench then? Well, in truth, the hosts don't have a lot of firepower to come on, but for Peniel Mlapa who managed a goal last time out. For Leverkusen, Eren Derdiyok is a good option to bring on as he offers the chance to bully defenders with his strength.
The players are lining up in the tunnel, ready to come out for the second half. I'll let you know of any subs that are made.
Leverkusen get us underway for the second half then. Let's hope for more chances.
CLOSE! Can might think he could have done better there. He meets a cross to the far post from Hilbert, but puts it on to the roof of the net. He was unmarked and should have done better.
Sam is brought down about 45 yards from goal. Castro finds him from the resulting free kick but his effort from some range is sliced high and wide. What a waste, but Leverkusen are on top early in this half.
Tasty challenge there on Raffael by Spahic. It almost sets up a pass for Sam, but Ter Stegen reads it well and comes to gather. There's much more of an edge in this half and it's a better game for it.
Almost a lovely move there for Leverkusen. Kiessling collects a pass and then looks to turn it inside to the onrushing Son, but Jantschke read it well and was able to intercept. That would have been a lovely goal.
Fantastic challenge from Toprak! It was a good counter by Gladbach as Kruse was played in over the top before finding Raffael, but Toprak was in to save. Then Herrmann goes in late on the centre-back and earns a booking for his trouble.
Gladbach have gone back to pressing their visitors high up the pitch. Neither side is in control of the game at the moment, although Leverkusen are still seeing much more of the ball. Gladbach are looking to counter at the moment.
SHOT! Can picks up the ball on the left and cuts inside Nordtveit before shooting from about 25 yards. Ter Stegen was able to gather down low, however. Easy save.
Gladbach are really struggling to keep hold of possession at the moment. The lose the ball before Bayer look to work something down the right, however Wendt came across well to clear.
GOAL! Gladbach 0-1 Leverkusen (Son)
What a strike that is! Son Heung-Min is given all the space he needs, but take nothing away from the finish. He steps on to his right foot before drilling a shot past Ter Stegen, who didn't even move for it. The visitors lead.
There's a lot more attacking intent from Bayer all of a sudden. They are spreading the ball left to right, before Can eventually overhits his pass out of play on the opposite side.
There's a bit of a scrap in the middle of the park here, but it eventually subsides and Gladbach have a free kick. Not before they make a change, though, with Branimir Hrgota on for Herrmann.
LEVERKUSEN SUB: Sam, who hasn't been at his best tonight, makes way for Derdiyok.
Leverkusen are still doing most of the pressing. Gladbach have been really poor in this half, and have now only got less than 20 minutes to repair that.
Still the hosts are struggling to create anything. Leverkusen are happy to keep men behind the ball and are not attacking with too much urgency any more. Of course, the onus is on Gladbach to force the issue now.
CHANCE! That could be 2-0. Hilbert does well on the right and finds Kiessling inside, who shoots from a fairly tight angle but gets it all wrong and drags it wide.
SAVE! Finally some urgency from Gladbach. Kruse initially does well to keep hold of the ball before he gets it back and shoots at the near post, but Leno is down to turn it behind. There was a yellow card in there too for the striker. I'm not entirely sure what for.
SAVE! Time to defend for Leverkusen, who have everyone but Kiessling back. Arango tries a shot from the edge of the box, but Leno beats it away. Kruse's card was for pushing Donati, who kicked the ball away, by the way. Donati was also carded - that's two subs who have been booked!
LEVERKUSEN SUB: Another change for the visitors then, as Jens Hegeler is on for Son. The former is not quite so attacking, so Hyypia does look to be protecting this lead.
GLADBACH SUBS: Younes is on for Xhaka, while Mlapa takes to the field in place of Arango.
Can is not in luck today with his shooting. He has few options on there as he drives goalwards, but in the end his effort from about 30 yards out goes well over the bar.
Brilliant tackle from Wendt there, who slides in to hook the ball away from Kiessling as the striker was played in.
There's a block of black shirts as Gladbach look to come forward late on. In the end Younes puts it out of play anyway, so they needn't have bothered. Three minutes of added time to play.
Leverkusen are taking it into the corner in order to run down the time. Mlapa finds Hrgota with a brilliant inside pass, but Spahic wins it back.
LEVERKUSEN SUB: Kiessling walks off and Wollscheid - who has been booked, remember - comes on.
FULL-TIME: Borussia Monchengladbach 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen move back to 10 points behind Bayern Munich. It was a hard-fought win but just about deserved thanks to their improvement after the break.
Thanks for joining me tonight. We will have plenty more from the Bundesliga over the weekend, so please do join us then. For now, it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
