Mönchengladbach is finally getting going under Adi Hütter – and can count on Breel Embolo above all.
Adi Hütter hugged Breel Embolo very tightly and patted his match winner on the cheek. The Swiss international had fought, played and, above all, scored artistically – in the end a curse stood for Borussia Mönchengladbach: With 3-1 (2-1), the Rhinelander won again at VfL Wolfsburg for the first time in almost 18 years.
“I hope Breel is still celebrating, that’s part of it after such an achievement,” said national player Jonas Hofmann on Sky. Embolo was still missing when his colleagues were already giving interviews – in the 90 minutes before he had been everywhere: in the fifth minute he put Gladbach in the lead with a spectacular overhead kick, around 90 seconds later he did the preparatory work for Hofmann’s 2-0 ( 7.).
“He has the body, the speed, the force, so he is very uncomfortable for any defense,” said Hofmann. For his team-mate Jordan Beyer it was “world class what Breel played. We can be happy to have a player like that in the front.”
Borussia made it into the top third of the table with their first away win of the season. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, has now been without a win for five competitive games.
VfL had recovered after the early double strike of the guests and made it through Luca Waldschmidt (24th) in the first half. But it wasn’t enough for more, Joe Scally (90. + 5) even increased to 3: 1 for Gladbach in stoppage time.
Wolfsburg – Gladbach: Foals with a quick double strike
The Wolves completed the final phase from the 78th minute of the game after a yellow-red card for Maxence Lacroix with ten players, Koen Casteels held the penalty for a foul on Embolo after a weak attempt by Lars Stindl.
Since November 2003, Gladbach had repeatedly missed a win on 16 Bundesliga business trips to Wolfsburg. Now they brought Lower Saxony, who had started the season so impressively, their second league defeat in a row.
After the liberating victory against Borussia Dortmund in the previous week, the guests arrived with a big chest and immediately delivered precision work in Wolfsburg. Before the opening goal, Denis Zakaria did not fully hit a direct acceptance from Hofmann’s corner. The shot attempt turned out to be the perfect template for Embolo, who then perfected artistically.
The wolves repeatedly afforded a slight lack of concentration in the structure, which was dangerous against consistently switching Gladbachers. At half-time, the game was still open. After the restart, Kouadio Kone immediately indicated with a sharp right-footed shot that Gladbach did not want to shut himself up (51st). Shortly afterwards, Dodi Lukebakio failed on the other side on the well-positioned Yann Sommer (54th).
The Wolfsburg royal class participants, driven by the busy Maximilian Arnold, shifted up a gear again and pushed for the equalizer. But on the other hand, they never got a grip on Embolo.
VfL Wolfsburg – Borussia Mönchengladbach: The voices
Mark van Bommel (coach VfL Wolfsburg): “At the beginning we give the game away – it’s that simple. After that we didn’t do it too badly, Lukebakio can make it 2-2 through Wolfsburg glasses. We weren’t played away, but Gladbach has a clever one Team.”
Adi Hütter (coach Borussia Mönchengladbach): “We saw a top-class Bundesliga game. If you look at the chances to score, I think we’re the deserved winners. I’m really happy about the away win. Breel Embolo was the player of the game for me.”
VfL Wolfsburg – Borussia Mönchengladbach: The lineups
Wolfsburg: Casteels – Mbabu, Lacroix, Bornauw (46th Brooks), Gerhardt (46th Roussillon) – Guilavogui (79th Ginczek), Arnold – Baku (79th Philipp), Lukebakio (66th Nmecha), Waldschmidt – Weghorst. – Trainer: van Bommel
Mönchengladbach: Sommer – Ginter, Elvedi, Beyer – Scally, Zakaria, Netz (58th Herrmann) – Hofmann, Kone (60th Kramer) – Embolo, Stindl (82nd Plea). – Trainer: Hütter
