| Machino’s brace secured vital Kiel win | Stuart Franklin/Getty Images |
Holstein Kiel are off the bottom of the league after a 4-3 success in a thrilling game against Gladbach. The hosts raced to a two-goal lead inside the first 23 minutes before Gladbach levelled the score with two goals in the space of nine minutes.
Gladbach responded once again when Kiel took the lead, but Machino’s second goal of the match won it for Bundesliga’s debutants. The Japanese opened the floodgates when he heads home John Tolkin’s corner-kick in the 15th minute.
Soon after, Kiel doubled their lead thanks to Alexander Bernhardsson, who scored his third goal in four matches. Gladbach’s comeback started at the hour mark with Tomáš Čvančara’s strike. His strike partner Alassane Pléa levelled the score nine minutes later with an unstoppable finish.
Kiel responded well with their own superb strike as Armin Gigović gave them the lead in the 76th minute. However, the visitors strikes again to make it 3-3 thanks to the fit again Franck Honorat.
Machino scored the winner for Kiel with a fine finish in the 91st minute. They still had a lot of defending to do as there were 9 minutes of injury-time.
Before Bochum’s game against Union Berlin, Kiel are now off of the Bundesliga basement. They’re only three points behind 16th-placed Heidenheim, who also secured three points with a late goal in Stuttgart. Gladbach remains in ninth place, and they’ll still have a shot in Europe.
