Sensational 4:3 win in Gladbach: SV Elversberg turns the game around after being 1:3 behind

Vincent Wagner was sitting somewhere up in the press box, far away from his team. Down on the pitch, the Borussia Mönchengladbach players celebrated the 3-1 win - and around the SV Elversberg coach, more than 50,000 spectators celebrated Joe Scally's supposedly decisive goal. But what the 40-year-old experienced afterwards will remain in his memory for a long time.

“The game was so great,” said Wagner, summing up his emotions after the 4:3 (1:2) win. Captain Lukas Pinckert was also enthusiastic. «I am extremely proud of the team. We're 3-1 down in front of over 50,000 spectators and turning the game around as promoted teams - that's quite remarkable."

“We never give up on ourselves”

Elversberg had to cope with enough setbacks on Saturday: after Hugo Bolin conceded a goal (11th) and David Mokwa equalized (29th), Gladbach took the lead again shortly before half-time through Bolin after a mistakenly awarded throw-in.

Coach Wagner wanted an explanation from the referee, but instead saw yellow-red and had to go to the stands. From there he made it 1:3 a little later. Wagner put his head on his hands and stared at the lawn.

A week ago they won sensationally 3-2 against Bayer Leverkusen and were threatened with the first Bundesliga defeat in the club's history. But the Elversbergers came back - and how. “We are a unit, we never give up,” said central defender Pinckert.

Substitute Maurice Krattenmacher shortened the score (66'), Felix Keidel equalized (80') - and Krattenmacher scored in stoppage time to make it 4-3. Wagner jumped in the stands, threw up his arms, high-fived the video analysts and ran down to the field to celebrate. “I was just happy for my coaches and the boys,” said Wagner.

Leverkusen, currently third in the table, had already surprised the previous week. Two games, two wins and seven goals is an unusual start for a promoted team. In addition to the optimal number of points, what is particularly impressive is the way in which the Elversberg team solved these two tasks.

The Leverkusen team surprised them with a furious start and defended their lead with great passion. In Gladbach, Elversberg had to deal with setbacks, but the league newcomer also passed this test with flying colors. Now the maximum challenge awaits.

The next opponent is the record champions

On Sunday (5:30 p.m./DAZN) FC Bayern Munich will be visiting the Kaiserlinde. Despite their previous successes, the Elversbergers don't want to change the dimensions. “It’s just a bonus game,” said Pinckert – Elversberg is ahead of Munich in the table.

After his sending off, it is still unclear whether Wagner will be allowed to stand on the sidelines against the record champions. If Elversberg does not successfully appeal, Wagner will not be able to play in this game. The coach himself doesn't expect it, "the chances are probably 80:20 against it," he said on ZDF's "Sportstudio".

Fans celebrate the “championship”

For the Elversberg fans who had traveled with them, there was no doubt after the final whistle in Gladbach how this season could end. While the party hit “The train has no brakes” was aptly blaring in the players’ cabin, the supporters sang humorously: “Only the SVE will be German champions!”