{"id":1049,"date":"2016-09-28T18:15:29","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T22:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2017-05-27T15:41:06","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T19:41:06","slug":"borussia-monchengladbach-1-2-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2016\/09\/28\/borussia-monchengladbach-1-2-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Match Report: Borussia M\u00f6nchengladbach 1 – 2 Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barcelona<\/strong> extended their lead at the top of Group C<\/strong> as they defeated a spirited Borussia<\/strong> M\u00f6nchengladbach<\/strong> 2 – 1 in Westphalia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Borussia M\u00f6nchengladbach 1 – 2 Barcelona<\/h2>\n

The game started as expected, with Barcelona dominating possession; 61% to Borussia\u2019s 39%. The hosts were content to give their more illustrious visitors the ball in their own half, preferring to sit deep and hit on the counter.<\/p>\n

Within the first ten minutes, roaming full back Jordi<\/strong> Alba<\/strong> had been released down the left, before pulling the ball back to Neymar<\/strong>, with the Brazilian then striking a glorious chance straight at goalkeeper Yann<\/strong> Sommer<\/strong>. Sergio<\/strong> Busquets <\/strong>too\u00a0was often afforded the freedom of Borussia-Park<\/strong>, but\u00a0Barca could still not create the clear cut scoring chances they craved;\u00a0Suarez<\/strong> arguably missing the most obvious chance, firing wide from a good position in the Borussia box.<\/p>\n

Against the run of play, and of possession certainly, the Germans<\/strong> scored first. M\u00f6nchengladbach stole the lead through a well-worked breakaway Thorgan<\/strong> Hazard<\/strong> goal. Busquets was mugged on the half way line by Mahmoud<\/strong> Dahoud<\/strong>,\u00a0who released Raffael<\/strong>. Dahoud received the ball back again, before slipping a delicious through ball to Hazard who finished smartly underneath returning hero Marc-Andre ter-Stegen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Comeback Barca<\/h3>\n

Out of nowhere, however, Barcelona equalised in the 64th<\/sup> minute. A patient build up in the final third found Neymar with space on the edge of the area, and Barca\u2019s number 11 scooped a dinked pass towards Luis Suarez before substitute Arda Turan<\/strong> burst onto the scene and rifled a shot high into the net past Sommer in the Borussia goal.<\/p>\n

A second goal was not long in coming. Adra Turan worked his way into the right hand channel and forced a corner. In a move straight from the Joan<\/strong> Gamper<\/strong> training ground, Neymar drilled the ball in low to Suarez, Sommer made a good save low to his right only to find Gerard<\/strong> Pique<\/strong> on hand to score from close range.<\/p>\n

From then on it was all Barcelona; Iniesta<\/strong> asserting his dominance on the ball and being his usual imperious self. The Barcelona captain stroked the ball around without a care in the world, linking play and keeping the possession that coach Luis<\/strong> Enrique<\/strong> would have demanded to close out the game.<\/p>\n

The only light scare came late on as a lofted through ball over the Barca defence found Fabian<\/strong> Johnson<\/strong>, with\u00a0Javier Mascherano<\/strong> stretching out a leg to deny the American<\/strong> defender a shot on goal.<\/p>\n

Despite the half time deficit, the Catalans<\/strong> would have been pleased with their night\u2019s work, especially as they learned the result from Park Head<\/strong>, which saw close rivals Manchester City<\/strong> come from behind on three occasions to draw 3 – 3 with Celtic<\/strong>. Barcelona welcome Pep Guardiola<\/strong>\u2019s Manchester City on Matchday Three in what is set to be a sensational encounter.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n