VfL Wolfsburg remains in the European Cup race, TSG Hoffenheim in the relegation battle: Lower Saxony moved up to sixth place in the table at least until Sunday with a somewhat flattering 2-1 (1-0) win, the guests still have to keep an eye out despite an appealing performance point downwards.
In a game that was only exciting at times, Jakub Kaminski scored the opening goal in the 15th minute. The Pole scored with a header after a right cross from Ridle Baku. The otherwise well-organized cover of the Kraichgauer seemed unsorted in this scene. Substitute Luca Waldschmidt (75′) scored the second goal, Josuha Guilavogui (90’+3) scored an own goal in stoppage time.
During the entire first half, the aftermath of the 6-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund last weekend was clearly visible in the North Germans. Coach Niko Kovac’s team seemed inhibited, unsure, the train to the goal was almost non-existent. The action to make it 1-0 was the only really well thought-out attack.
TSG, on the other hand, seemed motivated, more biting in the duels, but they also lacked the penetrating power in front of the opposing goal. The only chance to take the lead was missed by Hoffenheim’s top scorer Andrej Kramaric, who narrowly missed his eleventh goal of the season with a long-range shot on the crossbar in the seventh minute.
After the change of ends, the course of the game changed a little in front of 22,617 spectators in the Volkswagen Arena. The wolves went to work more bitingly and could have extended their hitherto rather flattering lead through Mattias Svanberg (51st) and Jonas Wind (52nd).
Pellegrino Matarazzo stunned: Munas Dabbur misses the chance
But the guests were now more dangerous on the counterattack: VfL defender Sebastiaan Bornauw stumbled a ball, but Munas Dabbur (57th) shot the ball over the goal alone in front of goalkeeper Koen Casteels. TSG coach Pellegrino Matarazzo watched the scene with wide eyes.
In the aftermath, the game rather rippled away. Constant substitutions here and there also slowed down the flow of the game. And none of the substitute players was able to put themselves in the limelight. Until Waldschmidt was successful with a shot from the turn.
VfL Wolfsburg – TSG Hoffenheim: The voices of the game
Niko Kovac (VfL Wolfsburg coach): “We’re the somewhat lucky winners. There was more in it for Hoffenheim, so I can understand that they’re a bit sad. Things didn’t go as we wanted, particularly in terms of play.”
Pellegrino Matarazzo (TSG Hoffenheim coach: “This result feels like an unnecessary defeat. We lacked sharpness in many situations. Now we have to assert ourselves against Union Berlin and see what comes after that.”
VfL Wolfsburg – TSG Hoffenheim: The data for the game
Wolfsburg: Casteels – Bornauw, Guilavogui, van de Ven – Baku (90th Fischer), Arnold, Kaminski (90th Cozza) – Felix Nmecha, Svanberg (61st Gerhardt) – Wimmer (70th Waldschmidt), Wind (61st Marmoush). – Coach: Kovac
