'Gladbach defeats Braunschweig 4-1 in Bundesliga

BERLIN (AP) — Borussia Moenchengladbach defeated Eintracht Braunschweig 4-1 Friday to extend the promoted side's poor return to the Bundesliga.

Oscar Wendt opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when he cut inside a Braunschweig defender from the left and fired past two more to the bottom far corner.

Max Kruse crossed for Raffael to make it 2-0 with a header in the 31st, when a rout looked likely with the visitors completely out of their depth. But they improved after the break and Mirko Boland deservedly pulled one back in the 58th, when Karim Bellarabi set him up for his side's third goal of the season.

However, any hopes of an equalizer were dashed when Marco Caligiuri conceded a penalty and Kruse converted from the spot in the 72nd.

"I think it was a wrong decision," Braunschweig captain Deniz Dogan of the penalty. "I don't know how you can make such a call."

Raffael pounced for his second from a rebound four minutes later, after Braunschweig 'keeper Marjan Petkovic could only parry Kruse's initial deflected shot.

"We were a bit relaxed after the second goal. We had to hold out then but the penalty came at the right time," Kruse said.

Braunschweig, which lost 10-0 for its heaviest Bundesliga defeat the last time it played in Moenchengladbach in October 1984, had coach Torsten Lieberknecht sent to the stands with three minutes remaining.

His side has just one point from six games on its return to the top flight after 28 years.