Dortmund see off Gladbach to end 2025 on a high

Borussia Dortmund were looking to end 2025 on a high, and after dropping points away at Freiburg last time out, they got themselves off to the perfect start. 

With BVB well on top, Niklas Süle sent a lovely ball towards the back post before Julian Brandt finished exquisitely to open the scoring in the 10th minute. 

The midfielder's well-struck volley into the ground fooled Gladbach's Moritz Nicolas, seeing the hosts rewarded after a positive opening spell. 

Niko Kovac's men would continue to play some lovely stuff throughout the opening 30 minutes, with Karim Adeyemi forcing Nicolas into a point-blank save on the half-hour mark. The strike was hit well from inside the box, but lacked the direction to add a second to the score. 

But, for all the dominance in possession, BVB were failing to capitalise against a Gladbach side seemingly there for the taking in the early stages, before the Foals themselves began to grow into the encounter. 

Florian Neuhaus would trouble Gregor Kobel after running through the middle of the park, before ex-BVB midfielder Giovanni Reyna saw an effort float wide from the edge of the box. A flurry of corners would follow for the visitors in the latter stages of the first half, but they would be unable to create a chance of note. 

Crucially for Eugen Polanski, though, Gladbach were more than in this clash heading into the second period. 

And it would be the persistence and threat provided on the break by the visitors that ensured the nervy atmosphere around Signal Iduna Park remained.

Serhou Guirassy believed he had doubled BVB's lead 10 minutes into the half after a horrible mix-up at the back for Gladbach, though the Guinean would be ruled offside as he headed home on the goal line.

After a bright start, the match had become more end-to-end than Kovac would have liked, and as much as BVB looked to gain back control, Gladbach were never quite out of it. 

16-year-old Wael Mohya would be sent on alongside Kevin Stöger and Shuto Machino for the final 10 minutes, with Eugen Polanski looking to force an equaliser, and the youngster made an instant impression via a powerful effort from the left-hand side of the box that was pushed away well by Kobel.

Maximilian Beier would miss a huge chance to seal the match in the 89th minute for the hosts, after racing through one-on-one against Nicolas, before the goalkeeper read his weak effort perfectly - the striker opening up his body a moment too early. 

With six minutes of additional time to play, Gladbach weren't exactly banging on the door, but the threat was there. As a result, though, BVB were able to muster up counterattacking scenarios of their own for the first time of the evening.

Beier would make amends for his earlier miss in the final moments of the match, slotting home in front of the Yellow Wall after a lovely tee-up from Fabio Silva. Much cooler than previously, the young forward would send Nicolas the wrong way, earning Dortmund all three points in the process.

It would be far from pretty, but BVB would end the year on a high, seeing out a 2-0 win against Gladbach, who could be dragged back towards the drop zone if results go against them this weekend.