The start of the first competitive match of 2026 could hardly have gone better for Borussia Mönchengladbach. In the first half, the committed Foals especially benefited from the luck of the diligent against Augsburg.
All three goals, in fact, came about with the friendly assistance of the Fuggerstadt side. Before the 1-0 by Joe Scally, Mads Pedersen botched a clearance. His awkward attempt at a rescue landed right at the feet of Scally, who was able to slot home from close range to take the lead.
Things would get even worse for Pedersen a little later. The left-back caused a handball penalty, which Kevin Diks gratefully converted to make it 2-0.
The FCA’s half turned into a complete disaster in the 36th minute. Luca Netz curled a corner right in front of the Augsburg goal. But neither keeper Finn Dahmen nor the defenders managed to intervene and clear the ball.
Instead, the unmarked Haris Tabakovic accepted the invitation and headed in to make it 3-0. Some disappointed Augsburg fans might even suspect malicious intent from their beloved club at this point, but one thing is certain: scoring goals against Gladbach has often been much harder.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
📸 Lars Baron – 2026 Getty Images
