Raffael at the double for Monchengladbach

Posted Saturday, December 16, 2017 by PA

Raffael scored a late brace as Borussia Monchengladbach beat Bundesliga strugglers Hamburg 3-1 in their final match of 2017 to move up to fourth in the table.

The hosts flew out of the blocks and almost broke the deadlock after six minutes when on-loan West Ham youngster Reece Oxford controlled the ball on his chest before clattering the bar with a fierce strike from just inside the area.

Gladbach continued to pile on the pressure and opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Thorgan Hazard got on the end of Raffael's through-ball before clipping the ball over visiting goalkeeper Christian Mathenia from the right side of the six-yard box.

Hamburg responded well to falling behind and nearly equalised in the 18th minute but Gladbach's Lars Stindl was on hand to head Mergim Mavraj's effort off the line, with keeper Yann Sommer beaten.

And Andre Hahn was denied by a last-ditch challenge by Jannik Vestergaard three minutes later as Hamburg took control.

Gladbach almost doubled their advantage seven minutes before the interval when 18-year-old Mickael Cuisance hit the post from 25 yards, with the rebound hitting the goalkeeper but staying out.

After Mathenia had produced a good save to keep Hazard at bay early in the second half, Hamburg levelled things up in the 53rd minute when Hahn burst into the box and knocked the ball through Sommer's legs.

Raffael put the home side back in front in the 74th minute when he tucked the ball beyond Mathenia from the left side of the box before adding a third from close range five minutes later after good work from Hazard.