VfL Wolfsburg were left empty-handed on Bundesliga Matchday 8, beginning a busy run of fixtures with a 2-0 defeat away to 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday afternoon. Head coach Mark van Bommel’s charges were the better side from the outset in front of a crowd of 10,978 at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei, but succumbed to two goals on the counter from Taiwo Awoniyi (49’) and Sheraldo Becker (83’).
As a result the Green-and-Whites slipped down to sixth in the Bundesliga table for the time being, but now switch their focus to Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League, where they will travel to FC Salzburg on Wednesday 20 October (kick-off 18:45 CEST).
Goals
1-0 Awoniyi (49’): The Wolves didn’t give Union a sight of goal in the entire first half, but were caught out cold early in the second period against the run of play. After a long ball forward, Max Kruse and Genki Haraguchi linked up well to send Awoniyi clean through, and the striker opened the scoring with a shot under Koen Casteels.
2-0 Becker (83’): This goal was characteristic of the game itself: VfL attacked but were unable to finish their chances, with the home side proving clinical at the other end. Substitute Becker arrived at the back post to meet a cross from the left and head it just over the line.
Other
Maximilian Arnold made his 259th Bundesliga outing in this match, drawing him level with Diego Benaglio as VfL’s all-time record appearance maker.
Post-match reaction
Mark van Bommel: “We started quite well, we were in control of the game, we were patient and looked for openings. We weren’t able to convert our big chance to take the lead, though. I think if we’d scored that, we’d have won the game. Instead, Union scored straight after the break and it was difficult for us after that. We still had good opportunities but couldn’t take them. At the end of the day, we were up against opponents today who were very effective, like Gladbach and Hoffenheim before that. If you don’t score then you can’t win.”
Urs Fischer: “I think Mark’s analysis is accurate. We really were very efficient today and there were one or two situations where we had that bit of luck that you need if you want to be successful against teams like Wolfsburg. But we made it very difficult for VfL over the 90 minutes, we were compact and worked well as a team.”
Line-up and stats
1. FC Union Berlin: Luthe – Jaeckel, Knoche, Friedrich – Ryerson, Prömel, Khedira, Gießelmann (90+1‘ Oczipka), Kruse (72‘ Voglsammer) – Haraguchi (72‘ Becker), Awoniyi (84‘ Behrens)
Subs: Rönnow (Goal), Baumgartl, Trimmel, Möhwald, Öztunali
VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Mbabu, Bornauw, Brooks, Roussillon – Guilavogui (60’ Vranckx), Arnold – Lukebakio (83’ F. Nmecha), Philipp (68’ Weghorst), Waldschmidt (60‘ Baku) – L. Nmecha
Subs: Pervan (Goal), Steffen, Ginczek, Otavio, van de Ven
Goals: 1:0 Awoniyi (49‘), 2:0 Becker (83‘)
Yellow cards: Gießelmann, Knoche, Jaeckel / Brooks
Referee: Sascha Stegemann (Niederkassel)
Attendance: 10,978 at Stadion an der Alten Försterei
