First Team

Third straight win

Two early goals from the Wolves paved the way for a 3-0 victory over SV Darmstadt 98.

VfL Wolfsburg picked up a third consecutive win on Bundesliga Matchday 32 with a 3-0 triumph over Darmstadt on Saturday afternoon, a result that gives them extra breathing room in the battle to avoid relegation

In a match played in glorious sunshine, the Wolves could not have wished for a better start. Patrick Wimmer opened the scoring after just eight minutes, with Jonas Wind doubling VfL's lead just three minutes later. 

That quickfire double lifted the crowd, which in turn helped the players, who remained on the front foot against a visiting side that lacked incision in the final third. The Green-and-Whites squandered a number of presentable chances after the interval, until substitute Vaclav Cerny volleyed in a third in stoppage time (90'+3).

Ralph Hasenhüttl's side travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich on Sunday 12 May (kick-off 17:30 CEST) in what will be their final away game of the season. 

Goals

  • 1-0 Patrick Wimmer (8'): An early goal for the Wolves! Wimmer, back in the starting line-up, receives possession in a central position just inside the penalty area and drives a low shot into the corner. 
     
  • 2-0 Jonas Wind (11'): And another one! Brilliant work from Lovro Majer in the build-up to lay the ball off to Wind, who clinically strokes the ball in to make it 2-0. 
     
  • 3-0 Vaclav Cerny (90'+3): Jakub Kaminski curls a cross from the right towards the back post, where the onrushing Cerny volleys back across goal and into the net!

Reaction

Ralph Hasenhüttl: “We started very well and took advantage of the situation early on to score goals. Darmstadt made some adjustments after that and it became more difficult for us. We couldn’t find any solutions at times. We didn’t want to make the mistake of pressing all the time, like we did against Gladbach. Instead, we let Darmstadt have the ball and we tried to pounce on any moments on the counter. Vaclav Cerny and Lovro Majer had good chances. We could’ve scored the third goal sooner, which would have killed the game off. The team was very focused and really wanted to get the win.” 

Torsten Lieberknecht: “We had a chance to take the lead after four minutes, but weren’t able to finish off the counter-attack. Then we had a period in which our mistakes were punished right away. We didn’t have the resolve to punt the ball out of the danger zone, and then we were quickly 2-0 down. That made things very difficult mentally, even though we subsequently managed to close down the space on the wings better and create some chances ourselves. It looked like we were going to pull a goal back but ultimately VfL got the game under control, scored a third goal at the end and therefore deserved to win.”

Line-ups and stats 

VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku (65‘ Kaminski), Lacroix, Jenz, Maehle – Arnold, Gerhardt, Majer (90’ Tomas), Paredes (81’ Cerny) – Wind (81’ Behrens), Wimmer (65’ Zesiger)

Subs: Pervan (GK), Fischer, Rogerio, Sarr

SV Darmstadt 98: Brunst – Zimmermann, Klarer, Maglica (34‘ J. Müller) – Karic (85‘ Arania), Justvan (85‘ Schnellhardt), A. Müller (46‘ Seydel), Nürnberger, Mehlem – Skarke, Vilhelmsson (60‘ Honsak)

Subs: Schuhen (GK), Isherwood, Pfeiffer, Torsiello

Goals: 1-0 Wimmer (8’), 2-0 Wind (11’), 3-0 Cerny (90’+3)

Yellow cards: A. Müller, Maglica, Zimmermann / -

Referee: Robert Hartmann (Wangen)

Attendance: 23,108 at Volkswagen Arena