Gladbach climb to fourth with thrilling fightback at Augsburg

Borussia Moenchengladbach climbed to fourth in the German league table yesterday after a pulsating fightback earned them a 2-2 draw at Augsburg.
The Brazilian striker Raffael had sent Gladbach into a half-time lead before the game exploded into life with three goals in five second-half minutes.
Despite their midweek Europa League exertions and exit at the hands of Liverpool, Augsburg, who are 13th, roared back with two goals in quick succession.
Iceland striker Alfred Finnbogason thumped a header home on 50 minutes, his first goal since joining from Olympiakos, before Brazil winger Caiuby slotted neatly home just three minutes later.
Gladbach’s American winger Fabian Johnson however gave the perfect answer as he smashed home his shot on 55 minutes to make it 2-2.
The visitors should have won as Sweden’s Oscar Wendt fired wide late on with the goal at his mercy while only a Marwin Hitz save denied Borussia captain Granit Xhaka.
Gladbach could be usurped from fourth if Bayer Leverkusen win later on Sunday at Mainz.
Also playing later Sunday are second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who are hosting second-bottom Hoffenheim.
Meawhile it was back to business for Bayern Munich after their midweek Champions league drtaw at Juventus, they racked up yet another win on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski scored his 23rd league goal of the season as Bayern went 11 points clear with a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg.
Pep Guardiola’s outfit now have 62 points out of a possible 69, their tally exactly double that of Wolfsburg, who are eighth.
Bayern could effectively wrap up the league title with two victories in the coming week, at home to Mainz on Wednesday and then at Dortmund in next Saturday’s key match.  
A tight struggle in Wolfsburg was settled by second-half goals as Kingsley Coman scored for the first time since November before Lewandowski netted for the 33rd time this season in all competitions.
Elsewhere, bottom side Hanover gained ground in the relegation battle with a shock 2-1 win at Stuttgart after an eight-match losing streak.
Japan midfielder Hiroshi Kiyotake capped his first start since November after injury by setting up both goals for defender Christian Schulz.
It means just four points separate the bottom three sides, but Hanover remain five points from safety.
Swiss striker Josip Drmic scored his first goal for Hamburg in their 1-1 draw at home to Ingolstadt, whose striker Lukas Hinterseer headed an equaliser.
Both sides are in mid-table, but Werder Bremen are deep in the relegation battle despite their 2-2 draw at home to Darmstadt.
Anthony Ujah’s early opener was cancelled out by Darmstadt’s Sandro Wagner, and Aytac Sulu headed Darmstadt ahead on 82 minutes before Claudio Pizarro gave Bremen a 90th-minute equaliser.
On Friday, Hertha Berlin strengthened their grip on third place with a 1-0 victory at Cologne as Vedad Ibisevic scored the winner to break their run of six games without a win.