Last-gasp winner caps fightback as Leipzig keep pace with Bayern; Schalke sack coach
Leipzig’s Alexander Sorloth (right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Borussia Moenchengladbach during their German League match in Leipzig on Saturday. Agence France-Presse
Leipzig fought back with second-half goals by Christopher Nkunku and Yussuf Poulsen before Sorloth’s winning header in the 93rd minute after Gladbach had led 2-0 at half-time.
“We’ll try everything to keep the Bundesliga exciting,” said Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann.
“We have to keep the momentum. It was an extremely important victory in terms of the table.
“We didn’t look good when we conceded the goals, but were incredibly strong in the second half.”
The victory keeps second-placed Leipzig two points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who earlier romped to a 5-1 home win over Cologne.
Gladbach were in complete control at half-time after Jonas Hofmann netted an early penalty and Marcus Thuram used his shoulder to guide the ball into the net from a Breel Embolo header.
However, Sorloth came off the bench and inspired the second-half fight back.
The former Crystal Palace striker had a goal disallowed for handball before setting up Nkunku, who fired home Leipzig’s first goal on 57 minutes.
Poulsen smashed home the equaliser on 66 minutes.
Leipzig had all the momentum and peppered the Gladbach goal before Sorloth’s winning header deep into added time.
Schalke’s major clear out: Bundesliga crisis club Schalke sacked almost their entire sporting leadership on Sunday, including coach Christian Gross, after an alleged player revolt and a 16th league defeat plunged their nightmare season deeper into crisis.
“The decision had become unavoidable after results against Dortmund and Stuttgart,” said Schalke chairman Jens Buchta in a statement following Schalke’s 5-1 loss to Stuttgart on Saturday, a week after defeat to local rivals Borussia Dortmund.
“The team now owe it to the club and the fans to be as successful as possible in the last third of the season.”
Coach Gross, sporting director Jochen Schneider and team coordinator Sascha Riether were all relieved of their duties in Sunday’s mass clear out.
Gross’ assistant Rainer Widmayer and fitness coach Werner Leuthard were also fired.
The move comes with one-time giants Schalke bottom of the league and nine points adrift of safety, having won just one of their 23 league games this season.
Having been in the Champions League two seasons ago, Schalke are now hurtling towards their first relegation since 1988.
Player revolt: Veteran Swiss Gross, 66, had been in the job for only two months, having taken over from interim boss Huub Stevens at the end of December to become Schalke’s fourth coach this season.
Victory in his second game in charge saw Schalke narrowly avoid equalling a 54-year-old Bundesliga record of 31 games without a win, but Gross was ultimately unable to stop the rot.
The 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim remained his only win in 10 league games in charge, as Schalke remained rooted to the bottom of the table.
Reports of a player revolt against Gross’ leadership surfaced in the German media last week in the build-up to Saturday’s defeat.
Team coordinator Riether sought to play down the rumours, saying it was “normal that players are disappointed” but denying there was a “revolution” in the dressing room.
Yet on Sunday, both Gross and Riether were shown the door as Schalke made one last desperate bid to save their season.
The club have already begun to rebuild for the second division, handing over squad planning duties to loan director Mike Bueskens and youth director Peter Knaebel.
Two weeks ago, they announced that sporting director Schneider would leave at the end of the season, a decision which has now been brought forward.
Agence France-Presse
