First away bankruptcy for VfB: Zigzag goal lifts Wolfsburg to the top

First away bankruptcy for VfB
Zigzag goal lifts Wolfsburg to the top

In the last Bundesliga game of the year, VfL Wolfsburg inflicted their first away defeat of the season against VfB Stuttgart. A strange zigzag gate makes the difference in the end, the wolves hibernate in fourth place. The Stuttgart quarrel because they miss the empty gate.

Premier class coup after the Corona horror: VfL Wolfsburg has conquered fourth place in the Champions League despite the short-term failure of four top performers before the holidays. Coach Oliver Glasner's team beat VfB Stuttgart 1-0 (0-0) in the last Bundesliga game of the year and pushed past Borussia Dortmund. Despite the shock, the Swabians will start the second phase of the season in early 2021 in a strong seventh place.

Josip Brekalo scored with a direct free kick in the 50th minute of the game: The goal was particularly strange because it was deflected twice. First Orel Mangala's ball ricocheted off the wall, then VfB attacker Silas Wamangituka made another decisive deflection and the ball spun over the line in the middle of the goal. The Lower Saxony had to compete without Maximilian Arnold and Jerome Rousillon, who tested positive for Covid-19, and their contacts Xaver Schlager and Maximilian Philipp. For VfB, who are so strong away from home, it was their first defeat on their opponent's place on matchday 13.

Glasner spoke of a "relatively turbulent preparation" for the game before the kick-off at Sky. The Austrian had known about the new infections since Saturday and his affected players immediately went to quarantine at home. Young man Tim Siersleben, like his teammates, also had to separate on instructions from the health department.

Massimo doesn't hit the empty gate

The main question was how the wolves would manage without their central clocks, Arnold and Schlager – all in all quite decent. Wolfsburg, with the equally experienced Josuha Guilavogui and Yannick Gerhardt in defensive midfield, immediately had the first opportunity after a corner with a header from Maxence Lacroix (1st). "I see it as an opportunity to show what a cohesive team we are," Glasner had said shortly before.

The home side put in forward gear, but VfB also took part from the start and it went back and forth at a rapid pace. In the ninth minute of the game, the guests demanded a penalty after a resolute bump from Ridle Baku against Nicolas Gonzalez – but referee Florian Badstübner was not enough. Almost in return, Gerhardt appeared free in front of VfB keeper Gregor Kobel, but he got stuck with his lifter (11th). Shortly before a goal from Wolfsburg's Gerhardt was not recognized because of an alleged foul (31st), Wamangituka failed free in front of Koen Casteels (24th).

In the second half, the hosts controlled the action initially after the quick hit and staggered themselves deeply to take away the space for the speed game from VfB. The Stuttgart offensive remained creative and should have equalized, but substitute Roberto Massimo did not hit the free goal from six meters (70th). VfB braced themselves against the defeat until the end, but they also lacked some luck.

. (tagsToTranslate) Football (t) VfL Wolfsburg (t) VfB Stuttgart (t) Football Bundesliga