In the opening period, both teams enjoyed chances without really managing to get a foothold of the game. Brian Okonkwo in the Albion net was kept busy, seeing a shot fly just wide after the stopper had given the ball away - prior to saving from Niklas Swider before preventing two later efforts from finding the net.
At the other end, Jack Bray had the most presentable chance for the hosts - capitalising on good play from Matthew Crowther and Torin Ntege by reaching an eventual left-wing cross but, unfortunately, the Barnsley boy found visiting goalkeeper Tiago Pereira Cardoso in his way from a few yards out.
The visitors dominated the opening exchanges and should’ve gone ahead when Fritz Fleck struck narrowly past the post with Okonkwo beaten. But as luck would have it, the young Baggies were the ones to break the deadlock.
Poor game management saw a Mönchengladbach attacker hold onto the ball too long, with the home press leading him into his own box where he had the play stolen from him, allowing Francis-Caesar to guide a low finish into the corner for 1-0.