Moenchengladbach beats Sevilla 4-2 in Champions League


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MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — Lars Stindl scored twice as Borussia Moenchengladbach defeated Sevilla 4-2 on Wednesday to eliminate the visiting side from the Champions League and boost its own chances of playing in the Europa League.

With one round of games remaining in Group D, 'Gladbach leads last-place Sevilla by two points before the German side's visit to Manchester City.

"We'll go there and try everything," said Stindl, who opened the scoring in the 29th minute before U.S. international Fabian Johnson made it 2-0 with a sublime effort in the 68th. Raffael effectively settled it 10 minutes later.

Though Vitolo pulled one back for Sevilla in the 82nd, Stindl killed off any hopes of an unlikely comeback a minute later.

"It was an important game. We wanted to show that we could win in the Champions League," Stindl said after already-eliminated 'Gladbach's first victory in the competition. The club hadn't played top-flight European football since reaching the semifinals of 1977/78 European Cup.

Ever Banega's penalty in injury time was much too late for the Spanish side.

"We produced a strong performance. Everyone played to their limit," Johnson said.

Juventus leads the group after beating already-qualified City 1-0 in Turin. Sevilla now needs to beat Juventus at home while hoping for a favor from City to have any hope of salvaging Europa League qualification.

Yevhen Konoplyanka wasted a chance to put Sevilla ahead early on when he shot too close to Yann Sommer.

Stindl got the scoring underway when he ghosted in at the far post to redirect Granit Xhaka's initial wayward effort.

"I wanted to score, didn't hit it so well, but thankfully Lars was there," Xhaka said.

Sevilla 'keeper Sergio Rico made a brilliant save to deny a thunderous shot from Xhaka after the break, before Johnson calmed the home side's nerves by taking Julian Korb's pass with his left foot, then cutting in and curling a shot inside the far post with his right.

Stindl set up Raffael's first Champions League goal 10 minutes later before Vitolo beat the offside trap to dink the ball over Sommer at the other end.

It was but a momentary setback. Johnson found Stindl 20 meters (yards) from goal and the German midfielder's low shot flew inside the left post.

Banega's penalty, conceded by Xhaka, was scant consolation for the visitors.

"Third place is now in our own hands. But the task will be very demanding," said 'Gladbach coach Andre Schubert, who has overseen a remarkable change in fortunes at the club since taking over in September.

Schubert has steered the club from the bottom of the Bundesliga to fifth place with just two points dropped in eight games.

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