Monchengladbach 2 - 1 Bayer Leverkusen: Borussia Monchengladbach all but sure of Champions League football

Posted Sunday, May 08, 2016 by PA

Borussia Monchengladbach all but mathematically joined Bayer Leverkusen in qualifying for the Champions League next season after coming from behind to beat their local rivals 2-1 at home.

Charles Aranguiz put the visitors in front with his first goal in German football, but two goals from Andre Hahn earned Gladbach all three points.

That puts them three points ahead of Mainz, Hertha Berlin and Schalke, with their far superior goal difference meaning they can already start celebrating a second straight season in European football's elite club competition.

Javier Hernandez nudged the ball through for Aranguiz to open his account in German football, slotting his shot coolly past Yann Sommer as the Borussia Park Stadion fell silent.

With Berlin at that time winning their game against Darmstadt, it complicated Gladbach's hopes of playing Champions League football next season.

They were revived by Hahn, who was on hand to place a loose ball in from close range after Bernd Leno had only parried Ibrahima Traore's powerful, angled effort.

Hahn's seventh goal of the season then took Gladbach into seventh heaven, when he drilled the ball through a host of players packed inside the Leverkusen area and into the far corner of Leno's goal.

It put the Foals back above Hertha into fourth place and to within touching distance of a place in the Champions League next season, with only a point needed to be totally sure, even if their superior goal difference means they can already plan for a play-off at the end of August.