A Jonas Hofmann double gave top-four hopefuls Borussia Mönchengladbach a two-goal cushion at the break, with Lars Stindl completing the scoring in the second half. Despite the defeat, the Wolves remain on course for a top-six finish and will look to take another step towards a place in Europe next season when they travel to FC Schalke 04 on Saturday 20 June (kick-off 15:30 CEST).
Start for Klaus
Felix Klaus was handed his first league start of 2020 in one of three changes to the team that drew with SC Freiburg at the weekend. Joao Victor and Yannick Gerhardt also came into the side, with Jerome Roussillon, Josip Brekalo and Daniel Ginczek dropping to the bench.
Hofmann puts Foals in driving seat
The Wolves were calm and composed in possession early on, only for Gladbach to take the lead with the first real chance of the game. Breel Embolo’s precise through-ball was collected in his stride by Hofmann, whose low finish into the bottom corner left Koen Casteels with no chance.
Victor tested Yann Sommer with a long-range daisy-cutter as VfL sought an immediate response, before Klaus sliced a powerful effort wide following a neat one-two with Wout Weghorst. However, Glasner’s troops were hit with a sucker-punch on the half-hour mark when Matthias Ginter teed up Hofmann, who picked out the same corner of the net to double his and Borussia’s tally.
Stindl ends comeback hopes
Hofmann nearly completed his hat-trick within seconds of the restart, but the 27-year-old could only find the side-netting from the edge of the area. Undeterred, the Wolves kept pressing for a route back into the match and almost halved the deficit when Oscar Wendt’s mis-hit clearance threatened to loop over Sommer, but the Gladbach keeper managed to pluck the ball out of the air.
Hofmann side-footed another effort wide of Casteels’ goal soon afterwards, before Embolo headed wide from Stefan Lainer’s delivery. Stindl was not to be denied moments later, however, finishing off a quick-fire counter-attack after VfL had lost possession in midfield. Ginczek flashed a shot wide of Sommer’s goal in the closing stages, but there was to be no late consolation for the visitors.
Borussia Mönchengladbach: Sommer - Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt - Kramer, Neuhaus (Doucoure 90’) - Traore (Herrmann 72’), Stindl (Bennetts 90’), Hofmann - Embolo (Benes 81’)
VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels - Mbabu, Pongracic (Knoche 72’), Brooks, Gerhardt (Guilavogui 70’) - Arnold (Brekalo 60’), Schlager - Steffen, Klaus (Marmoush 70’), Joao Victor (Ginczek 70’) - Weghorst
Goals: 1-0 Hofmann (10’), 2-0 Hofmann (30’), 3-0 Stindl (65’)
Yellow cards: Elvedi / Pongracic, Weghorst, Mbabu, Guilavogui
Referee: Robert Schröder (Hanover)
