Borussia Monchengladbach thrash Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich

Through a combination of poor finishing from Bayern and incisive counterattacks, Borussia Monchengladbach thrashed league-leaders Bayern Munich 3-1 to extend the unbeaten run under coach Andre Schubert. Fabian Johnson scored the third of the afternoon after strikes from Oscar Wendt and Lars Stindl succumbed Pep Guardiola to his first league defeat before Christmas in 57 games.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, Guardiola ended a run of 99 competitive games where he had made at least one change to his starting line-up. Franck Ribery, scorer of Bayern's goal, would make his first appearance since March, but by then, the contest was over. Schubert, the successor to Lucien Favre who bailed out after five league defeats on the spin, has already etched his name into the club's record books. A draw at Hoffenheim kept Schubert unbeaten in his first nine games - the last boss to start so strongly was the great Udo Lattek.

Tactically, Schubert approached this test with guts. Nico Elvedi, just 19, was given his first Bundesliga start in defense as Gladbach lined up 3-4-3. The early exchanges were shaky though as the Bavarians started ominously well. Xabi Alonso started the bombardment, pinging a corner kick on to the head of Javi Martinez who missed on nine minutes. Alonso's 30-yard volley flew well wide of the target on 14 minutes before Rafinha tried his luck soon after.

Over a 10-minute spell, the German champions should have comfortably sat in the driving seat, but failed to turn dominance into goals. Yann Sommer was called into action on 17 minutes, standing firm to deny the shot from Robert Lewandowski following cute build-up play from Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller. A minute later, Muller held his position at the back-post, found a yard of room and shot straight at the goalie.

Bayern's goal was ever more likely; Coman seeing his shot saved by Sommer on 19 minutes. As Ribery sat on the bench, his compatriot Coman was Bayern's most threatening player in the half. Quick and intelligent, the loanee from Juventus extends the pitch markedly, leaving room for full-backs and midfielders to roam in the half-spaces. Given the room around him, he was picked out expertly by pass-master Jerome Boateng on more than a few occasions.

On 23 minutes, Arturo Vidal powered a free-kick into the danger area, but Medhi Benatia's header was tame. Sixty seconds later, Lewandowski was thwarted again by Sommer before Coman struck against the post having wandered across to the opposite side of the pitch. How Bayern weren't ahead by this point was simply staggering.

But Schubert's team - barked on by the home fans who held a banner appreciating their hard work against the odds - asserted themselves past half an hour. Wendt was picked out on the left and the Swede's cross was headed over by Lars Stindl. Johnson, playing in-and-around the inside-left channel rather than his traditional left-wing, was quiet, but had a chance to drive at the Bayern defense on 35 minutes, but his shot was blocked; as was Elvedi's strike from distance on 37 minutes.

Events would pan out in favor of Gladbach in the second half with a more cohesive and coordinated performance from the hosts. On 54 minutes, Schubert's men were ahead when Wendt, a left-back-turned-left-winger, orchestrated the move before tucking past Manuel Neuer with a sweet right-foot finish.

The 54,000 tucked inside Borussia-Park surely would have anticipated Bayern dominance to follow, but on 63 minutes, the Foals passed up a great chance to score. Raffael and Stindl combined wonderfully, setting up Julian Korb, but the young full-back's finish was saved on to the crossbar from Neuer. The frustration dissipated within minutes as a long-ball was flicked on by Stindl and over the Bayern keeper to double the home side's advantage. Two minutes later, Johnson beat the offside trap and added a third as the American continued his excellent streak of late in front of goal following huge goals against Sevilla and Hoffenheim the week previously.

Bayern's traveling supporters had something to cheer about when Ribery came off the bench with about 15 minutes left to make his 300th appearance and bring an end to a difficult chapter for the Frenchman. Fittingly, the 32-year-old poked home the late consolation on 80 minutes, but Guardiola's men never really got going and surrendered their unbeaten start to the league season.

The Foals jump into third - at least until Wolfsburg face Borussia Dortmund later - while Bayern's lead at the top could be trimmed to five points later.