RB Leipzig close gap to five with Monchengladbach win

Updated: May 17, 2023, 12:48 am

Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg
Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images

Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg
Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images

Leipzig held on for a 2-1 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach to cut Bayern Munich's lead in the Bundesliga to five points on Sunday.

Emil Forsberg scored one and set up another for the promoted side to end a two-game losing streak and stay on course for Champions League qualification with the 14th win of the season.

'Gladbach 'keeper Yann Sommer pulled off a brilliant fingertip save to deny Marcel Sabitzer early on, but he was powerless to stop Forsberg from breaking the deadlock after half an hour played.

Sabitzer and Timo Werner played their way through the static 'Gladbach defence and Werner laid the ball off for the Sweden midfielder to fire inside the bottom left corner.

The home side was given a lifeline when Marvin Compper brought down Lars Stindl and referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot, but Peter Gulacsi saved Thorgan Hazard's penalty before the break.

More poor defending allowed Werner grab the second 10 minutes after the break, firing inside the far post after Forsberg played him through.

Jannik Vestergaard pulled one back with a powerful header from a corner to set up an exciting finale. However, six minutes of injury time were not enough for an equaliser.

Leipzig had kicked off to a chorus of whistles from the home fans, who then mostly stayed silent till the 19th minute in protest against the visiting side.

Huge banners in the north stand said "Traditional club since 1900" -- an apparent protest against Leipzig, founded in 2009 when Austrian energy-drink billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz rebranded a fifth-tier team with his company's livery before financing its steady promotion through the lower leagues.