Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
By Jemma Tappenden
July 20 2008
West Bromwich Albion kicked off their mini tour of Holland and Germany with a fixture against Borussia Monchengladbach. Mowbray used all of his 20 outfield players during the match, starting with summer signing Luke Moore up front with January capture Ishmael Miller. New signing Marek Cech watched his new team mates from the stands, along with 200 travelling Albion fans.
The conditions at the Hubert Houben stadium were less than ideal. Several players lost footing in the early stages of the game as both sides endeavoured to deal with the bobbly pitch. The Germans however recorded the first real effort of the game, when Gohouri cut inside from the right and blasted an effort just wide of the post.
Albion enjoyed some good build up play in the opening 20 minutes of the game, but could not capitalise on their decent play by creating chances. Typical of this was Ishmael Miller’s 23rd minute effort, which he placed wide of the target from 20 yards after completing all the hard work by breezing past Roel Brouwers.
In the 25th minute the baggies goal came under real threat. Keeper Dean Kiely had done superbly well to palm away a shot from Marin after he had been set up by Marcel Ndjeng. The loose ball fell kindly for Colautti, who was unmarked. But Dean Kiely literally came from nowhere to pull off a stunning save when they looked certain to go a goal down.
The resulting corner provided another chance for Borussia, when Jonathan Greening who cleared the initial danger could only watch as another loose ball made its way to Colautti. This time he was not scuppered by Kiely, but by his own efforts, as his strike fly inches wide of the target.
Miller was causing the Germans trouble at the other end as he again swept with ease past centre half Brouwers. Miller crossed the ball, where Keeper Heimeroth leapt off his line to palm away the danger. The ball cannoned off Luke Moore’s head, providing an unintended but decent lay off for Chris Brunt, who saw his 15 yard effort blocked. The block fell kindly for Hoefkens, but he could only blaze his effort over the bar.
In the 34th minute Borussia came dangerously close when Ndjeng clipped the top of the bar with a 25 yard effort. Next it was Albion’s turn to come agonisingly close, Hoefkens placing a cross to Ishmael Miller, who despite being off balance managed a cheeky and testing six yard back heel which Heimeroth had to dive right and low to save.
In an almost cruel twist, Borussia put themselves into the lead with the final kick of the half. The Baggies defence was thwarted by an unpredictable deflection from a 20 yard strike lumped forward by the German side’s skipper Patrick Pauuwe. The ball fell nicely once again for Colautti, who this time made no mistake as he skipped past both Hoefkens and Kiely on the edge of the box to score the first goal of the game.
Half Time: Borussia Moncheglandbach 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
At the interval Moore, Miller, Brunt, Greening and Morrison made way for Beattie, MacDonald, Bednar, Worrall and Do-Heon.
The German side wasted a glorious chance in the opening stages of the half as Sascha Rosler wasted a header from an inch perfect centre. In the 59th minute Dorrans made an appearance for the Baggies as Koren limped off the field of play.
In the 63rd minute Mowbray’s men nearly found an equaliser when a free kick from Do-Heon was put just wide by Paul Robinson after he had snuck in behind the Borussia defence at the back post. Just a minute later however they did find the equaliser. Worrall headed on a neat Hoefkens cross from the right, which set up fellow sub MacDonald nicely, who made no mistake in blasting home from 20 yards.
It was a short lived level playing field however, as just 9 minutes later the German side were back in front. Substitute Sharbel Touma played a perfect diagonal ball to Lamidi, who made light work of slotting his effort past Dean Kiely.
Albion failed to create many more meaningful chances as the game drew to a close, the closest of which was recorded by Roman Bednar in the final minutes, who headed just over from Dorrans corner.
Full Time: Borussia Moncheglandbach 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
MacDonald (64)
Colautti (45)
Lamidi (73)