FULL-TIME: BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 4-1 UNION BERLIN
90'
O. Wendt enters the game and replaces R. Bensebaïni.
M. Doucouré enters the game and replaces F. Neuhaus.
Bensebaini also earns a break right near the final whistle. On comes Wendt.
There's time left for the Foals to gift a Bundesliga debut to young defender Doucoure, as the impressive Neuhaus leaves the pitch.
88'
Union, meanwhile, are set to slide down a spot to 14th, behind Augsburg on goal difference.
85'
Five minutes until Gladbach cruise into third. They will remain there at least until RB Leipzig's game against Cologne on Monday.
82'
L. Bénes enters the game and replaces L. Stindl.
I. Traoré enters the game and replaces J. Hofmann.
Rose also hands a cameo to Traore, who comes on for Hofmann.
Stindl earns a rest with the result now safe. Benes comes off the Gladbach bench.
81'
A. Pléa has scored a goal for Borussia M'gladbach! Assist by R. Bensebaïni.
Plea was given the freedom of the penalty area to convert the cross after Union sat off Bensebaini and afforded the left-back an age to find his team-mate.
GOOOAAALLL! Well that certainly ends it. Plea, left entirely unmarked in the middle of the box, grabs a well-earned goal, applying a cool first-time finish from Bensebaini's cross. Poor defending from Union and it's 4-1.
80'
Y. Mallı enters the game and replaces M. Ingvartsen.
A. Ujah enters the game and replaces C. Gentner.
Fischer might feel as though Union can get something out of this game. He's made two changes - the first sees Ingvartsen make way for Malli.
With the other substitution, attacker Ujah comes on to replace Gentner.
76'
The enterprising Mees has been good since coming on. He tries a shot that narrowly fizzes past Sommer's left post.
73'
C. Kramer enters the game and replaces P. Herrmann.
With his team two goals to the good, Rose searches for more insurance in midfield. Kramer called from the bench and Herrmann makes way.
70'
Some rare work for Sommer at the other end thanks to Mees' emphatic header, albeit one that was straight at the Gladbach 'keeper.
Minute
Description
68'
Thuram threatens to grab that third goal, but Gikiewicz has his angles covered at the near post.
67'
Thuram's confidence is clearly high as he produces some tidy footwork on the flank. He'll be hunting a hat-trick with a bit over 20 minutes remaining.
65'
J. Mees enters the game and replaces J. Ryerson.
No surprise that Ryerson can't continue. An unfortunate, abrupt end to his involvement. Mees is the man to replace him.
61'
F. Neuhaus gets yellow.
Neuhaus sees yellow for a hard, sliding challenge that leaves substitute Ryerson in need of treatment.
60'
J. Ryerson enters the game and replaces C. Lenz.
Fischer responds to Gladbach's third goal by replacing Lenz with Ryerson.
59'
M. Thuram has scored a goal for Borussia M'gladbach! Assist by A. Pléa.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Two for Thuram, three for Gladbach, and that might be game over. It's the same combination that delivered the second as Plea fires a low cross in for his fellow Frenchman to convert at close range. All too easy after a turnover in Union's half. Gladbach ahead 3-1.
Plea was able to deliver his cross for Thuram after Hofmann won possession. Quick, clinical and clever.
58'
Plea can't quite trap Hofmann's heavy pass and a good opening goes begging for Gladbach.
56'
Andersson's goal means Gladbach have some work to do over the next 35 minutes or so. It's also the Swede's second of the season in this fixture.
50'
S. Andersson has scored a goal for Union Berlin! Assist by M. Ingvartsen.
GOOAAALLL! He won the foul and it's Andersson who gives Union a lifeline! Stindl loses Ingvartsen, who directs the free-kick back towards the centre where Andersson applies a straightforward finish. Union, out of nothing, are back in the game, now trailing 2-1.
It briefly looked as though Ingvartsen might have used his hand to steer the free-kick in Andersson's direction, but replays showed it was a combination of head and foot.
49'
Andersson does well to win a foul in the attacking half for Union after grappling with Ginter.
46'
F. Kroos enters the game and replaces N. Subotić.
Union boss Urs Fischer makes a proactive change at the interval, removing defender Subotic and introducing midfielder Kroos.
Back underway at Borussia-Park, where Gladbach hold a 2-0 lead over Union. The hosts are on course to go third in the Bundesliga, at least temporarily.
45' +1
HALF-TIME: BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 2-0 UNION BERLIN
43'
S. Lainer gets yellow.
Lainer goes in strong on Bulter, catching his opponent's ankle. No complaints over the resultant yellow card.
41'
M. Thuram has scored a goal for Borussia M'gladbach! Assist by A. Pléa.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Thuram extends Gladbach's lead. Plea this time comes out to the left and drives inside before picking out his compatriot with a cushioned cross to the far post. Thuram makes no mistake with an emphatic downward header. No chance for Gikiewicz and it's 2-0 late in the first half.
Superb play from Plea to set up the goal. He peeled left, attacked the space and delivered a good cross for Thuram.
39'
Chasing the game will only get tougher for Union given the heat. The visitors have created very little in attack thus far.
37'
Bensebaini's poor cross helps relieve the pressure for a moment. Gladbach continue to lead 1-0 with around 10 minutes remaining in the half.
33'
J. Hofmann gets yellow.
Hofmann illegally impedes Bulter and now the Gladbach midfielder goes into Frank Willenborg's notebook.
32'
Past the half-hour mark now and Gladbach have clearly been the better side. Rose will hope his team can grab a second before the break.
30'
M. Friedrich gets yellow.
Friedrich earns Union's second booking for a mistimed challenge on Thuram. That would have stung.
28'
Almost an opportunity for Andersson following Lenz's flick on halfway but the striker's heavy touch invites pressure from the recovering Elvedi and enables Sommer to clean up.
26'
Subotic catches Plea to give Gladbach a free-kick in a promising position.
22'
Gikiewicz is being given plenty to do with Stindl the latest to test the Pole. It's a comfortable save but an indication of how Union are struggling to come to grips with the home side's movement in attack.
19'
M. Bülter gets yellow.
Bulter is booked for a tactical foul that prevents Herrmann from breaking clear.
17'
F. Neuhaus has scored a goal for Borussia M'gladbach! Assist by P. Herrmann.
GOOOAAALLL!! Glorious from Neuhaus. He's been excellent from the outset and the midfielder opens the scoring for Gladbach in fine fashion, jinking away from a marker and keeping his feet in the box for long enough to squeeze a left-footed finish in off the left post. 1-0.
Herrmann credited with the assist for the opener but the goal is all about Neuhaus, who did extremely well to create and then take the chance.
13'
Neuhaus shoots from halfway! It's not a bad effort either as the midfielder's audacious attempt wins his team a corner, Gikiewicz tipping behind even though it was drifting wide.
11'
Thuram makes a dangerous incursion into the Union area! The space quickly evaporates though and the forward is forced to the left of the goal, leading him to lash a half-cross, half-shot right across the face.
9'
Bulter dribbles into the box and pulls a pass back into a dangerous area before Lainer steps across from the right and clears.
7'
Union are looking to press only sporadically in these early exchanges. It seems they're putting an emphasis on defensive shape.
Stindl attempts to steer a pass across the face of Union's goal but goalkeeper Gikiewicz gets down, reaches an arm out and gathers the ball.
4'
It's sunny and warm in Monchengladbach, conditions which could test fitness levels.
2'
Sommer gets an early couple of touches and Gladbach venture forward before a foul scuppers their progress.
1'
We're underway at Borussia-Park, where cardboard cut-outs fill the place of absent fans.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this Bundesliga fixture between Borussia Monchengladbach and Union Berlin!
Gladbach lost 2-0 when these teams met in November and more dropped points today would be a big blow to their Champions League ambitions. Form is a concern for Marco Rose's men following a 3-1 home defeat against Bayer Leverkusen and Tuesday's tepid 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen. Victory here, however, would lift them back into the top four leading into the final five games of the season.
Union are battling for Bundesliga survival after managing a solitary point since the competition resumed. That came in the form of a creditable 1-1 draw with Mainz in midweek, secured despite losing Robert Andrich to a first-half red card. As it stands, Union sit 13th with four points separating them and the bottom three.
GLADBACH XI (4-3-1-2): Yann Sommer; Stefan Lainer, Matthias Ginter, Nico Elvedi, Ramy Bensebaini; Patrick Herrmann, Florian Neuhaus, Jonas Hofmann; Lars Stindl; Marcus Thuram, Alassane Plea.
GLADBACH SUBS: Tobias Sippel, Mamadou Doucoure, Christoph Kramer, Ibrahima Traore, Oscar Wendt, Laszlo Benes, Torben Musel, Famana Quizera, Kaan Kurt.
UNION XI (3-4-2-1): Rafal Gikiewicz; Marvin Friedrich, Keven Schlotterbeck, Neven Subotic; Christopher Trimmel, Christian Gentner, Grischa Promel, Christopher Lenz; Marcus Ingvartsen, Marius Bulter; Sebastian Andersson.
UNION SUBS: Moritz Nicolas, Julian Ryerson, Joshua Mees, Anthony Ujah, Yunus Malli, Florian Hubner, Suleiman Abdullahi, Felix Kroos, Manuel Schmiedebach.
The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is almost upon us!
Union must find some impetus in midfield and attack if they're to salvage anything over the next 45 minutes. Substitute forward Ujah, who scored in the reverse fixture, could be an option. Gladbach will look for more of the same.
Gladbach will end this round in the top four and can take confidence into Friday's visit to mid-table Freiburg. Champions League qualification very much remains the objective. Next up for Union is a home game against Schalke, another important moment in the battle against relegation.
That completes our coverage of this valuable 4-1 victory for Borussia Monchengladbach over Union Berlin. Thank you for joining us. Until next time, it's goodbye for now!
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