Moenchengladbach beats Sevilla 4-2 in Champions League

Moenchengladbach’s Lars Stindl, left, congratulates his teammate Fabian Johnson who scored his side’s second goal during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Sevilla in Moenchengladbach, western Germany, Wednesday, November 25, 2015.

Stindl tapped in after 29 minutes and scored again after second half goals from Fabian Johnson and Raffael, to lift Gladbach to five points in the group and on track for a third place finish that leads to the Europa League, with their last group match against Manchester City next month.

Monchengladbach overcame resilient Sevilla 4-2 to maintain their chances for a berth in UFEA Europa League following the fifth round of Champions League’s group stage on Wednesday.

Vitolo pulled one back for Sevilla but Stindl immediately restored the three-goal cushion, before Ever Banega’s injury-time penalty for the Spaniards. But we have to raise ourselves and with the strength of this team look for our objectives. “The demand was too much”.

The visitors were made to pay for their profligacy a minute later, when some fine build-up play allowed Johnson to pick his spot inside the area and curl into the top corner.

Juventus sit atop the standings in Group D with 11 points followed by Manchester City (9 points), Monchengladbach (5 points) and Sevilla (3 points).

Borussia, who are in the Champions League for the first time, enjoyed their first home win in Europe since 1978 in the now defunct European Cup.

Stindl got the scoring underway when he ghosted in at the far post to redirect Granit Xhaka’s initial wayward effort.

Having already provided an assist on his return to the Gladbach side, Xhaka was almost celebrating a goal of his own nine minutes after the break, with Rico producing yet another great save to palm away the Swiss international’s vicious strike on the edge of the box. “But the task will be very demanding”.

Banega converted a late penalty in the dying minutes after Xhaka had fouled Grzegorz Krychowiak, but Gladbach held on during an otherwise satisfying night for Andre Schubert’s men.