A Raffael double gave Borussia Monchengladbach a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga this afternoon to keep the heat on Wolfsburg in second.
The home side perhaps should have taken the lead on 14 minutes when a chance opened up for Patrick Herrmann, but he could not convert when well placed in the area.
Bremen were limited to shots from range and neither Philipp Bargfrede or Theodor Gebre Selassie were able to find the target.
Oscar Wendt went close for the visitors on 25 minutes when he fizzed a shot just wide of Koen Casteele's goal.
Monchengladbach took the lead eight minutes after the restart when Raffael eventually bundled home Max Kruse's delivery.
Raffael doubled his tally for the afternoon late on to keep alive his side's hopes of leapfrogging second-placed Wolfsburg on the final day of the campaign.
Paul Gorst
