Borussia Monchengladbach's deadly duo of Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea combined for three goals in their 4-1 win over Union Berlin that lifted them into third in the Bundesliga.
With RB Leipzig not playing until Monday night, Gladbach took the opportunity to go above both them and Bayer Leverkusen and into the Champions League places after another fine display of attacking from their two star men.
Plea set up two goals for his partner in crime Thuram, before finishing off with a goal of his own to take his tally to 10 goals and 10 assists this season. Thuram also has 10 goals and eight assists to his name.
After Florian Neuhaus gave the hosts the lead at Borussia Park, complete with cardboard cut-outs of fans in the stands, Plea set-up Thuram for the first of his brace before Sebastian Andersson pulled a goal back, and bagged an 11/4 winning tip for our Bundesliga expert Tom Carnduff.
Plea produced a wonderful, teasing cross from the right to supply Thuram's second of the game just before the hour mark, before sweeping in a deserved goal of his own to go to double figures for the season.
The three-goal margin of victory saw The Foals go above Leverkusen on goal difference in what is an intriguing three-way battle for two Champions League places.
Dortmund could yet get drawn back into it but still look too strong, leaving RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach to fight it out for two further spots.
Borussia Monchengladbach still have Bayern Munich to play, while RB Leipzig have to face Dortmund and Leverkusen face their biggest test against Bayern on Saturday.
Highlights
Bundesliga Champions League picture
Borussia Monchengladbach (P29 | Pts 56 | GD +22)
Remaining fixtures:
- Freiburg (A)
- Bayern Munich (A)
- Wolfsburg (H)
- Paderborn (A)
- Hertha Berlin (H)
Leverkusen (P29 | Pts 56 | GD +18)
Remaining fixtures:
- Bayern Munich (H)
- Schalke (A)
- FC Koln (H)
- Hertha Berlin (A)
- Mainz (H)
RB Leipzig (P28 | Pts 55 | GD +41)
Remaining fixtures:
- FC Koln (A)
- Paderborn (H)
- Hoffenheim (A)
- Fortuna Dusseldorf (H)
- Borussia Dortmund (H)
- Augsburg (A)
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