Soccer-Deflections keep Gladbach on Champions League course

BERLIN, March 1 (Reuters) - Borussia Moenchengladbach edged past promoted Paderborn 2-0 on Sunday thanks to two deflected goals to tighten their hold on third place and a Champions League spot for next season. United States international Fabian Johnson struck in the 18th minute and substitute Patrick Herrmann added another nine minutes from time as Paderborn went forward for the equaliser, the ball again bouncing off a defender's legs to surprise keeper Lukas Kruse. Herrmann, who had come on in the 73rd minute, still had time to rattle the post with a powerful shot after a turbo-charged run past two defenders in the final minute. Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer had earlier done well to protect their lead, soaring high to turn an Alban Meha shot wide at the start of the second half. Gladbach stayed third with a four point-gap to fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and seven points behind VfL Wolfsburg. Second-placed Wolfsburg can cut Bayern Munich's advantage at the top to eight points, after the leaders downed Cologne 4-1 on Saturday, if they beat in-form Werder Bremen later on Sunday. Last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund stunned Schalke 04 3-0 in the Ruhr valley derby on Saturday to climb up to 10th on 28 and into European contention with their fourth successive win. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)