Borussia Mönchengladbach secured a valuable 2–0 victory over FC St. Pauli on Friday night as the Bundesliga resumed with the opening fixture of the 26th round.
The win marked Gladbach’s second success in their last ten matches and helped them create breathing space in the lower half of the table.
Stöger’s Free-Kick Breakthrough
The opening half produced a balanced contest, with both sides showing caution and searching for accuracy in the final third.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 37th minute when Kevin Stöger produced a moment of brilliance, curling a superb free-kick past the goalkeeper to give the hosts the lead.
After the restart, St. Pauli increased the pressure and attempted to force their way back into the game.
However, their attacking push left them vulnerable at the back. Gladbach capitalized in the 77th minute when Franck Honorat finished off a counterattack following determined play from Joe Scally.
Honorat almost added another later in the match but saw his effort strike the post.
The victory lifted Borussia Mönchengladbach to 28 points, opening up a four-point gap over St. Pauli, who remain in 16th place on 24 points and continue their battle to avoid relegation.
