Borussia Mönchengladbach continued their revival with a 2-0 victory over Karlsruhe in the second round of the DFB-Pokal, despite playing more than half of the game without their captain.
Gladbach took the lead with a goal of high quality in the seventh minute. After a well-worked team move that started from their own penalty box, Robin Hack put the hosts ahead with the first chance of the game. Following his exemplary performance in Gladbach's first Bundesliga win of the season in Stuttgart, US international Joe Scally provided the assist.
However, Alexander Blessin's side had no other attempt on goal for the rest of the half. Instead, they were down to ten when the makeshift captain Philipp Sander sent off for a last-man foul on Shio Fukuda, who is playing for Karlsruhe on loan from Gladbach.
Blessin waited until the break to bolster his defense with Lukas Ullrich replacing Hugo Bolin, while 19-year-old Italian striker Jason Ponente-Ramirez was introduced by the 2. Bundesliga side. Surprisingly, it was the Germany U21 international who got into the scoresheet inside the first five minutes of the half.
After playing one-two with Hack, the energetic Ullrich beats Hans Christian Bernat with a first-time shot to double Gladbach's lead. Despite dominating in possession, the 2. Bundesliga strugglers lacked creativity to threaten their ten-man hosts. Like their meeting at the similar stage last season, Gladbach knocked out Karlsruhe as Daniel Batz was hardly tested on his competitive debut.
Gladbach will hope to get out of Bundesliga's basement before November's international break as they face direct rivals Paderborn and HSV. Karlsruhe will host promotion hopefuls Heidenheim on Saturday afternoon in 2. Bundesliga.
