First Team

Harmless Wolves defeated

VfL slipped to a 3-0 home loss against RB Leipzig.

VfL-Wolfsburg-Spieler Micky van de Ven im Zweikampf mit einem Gegenspieler.

VfL Wolfsburg lost 3-0 in their home game against RB Leipzig on Saturday afternoon. The visitors took the lead through Emil Forsberg in the 14th minute and subsequently seized control of the game. The Wolves showed courage in the second half as they tried to find a way back, but were unable to make the most of the few chances they created. Konrad Laimer sealed the outcome with Leipzig’s second goal in the 85th minute, while Dominik Szoboszlai added a third in stoppage time (90’+2), leaving VfL waiting for their first win in the second half of the season.

The Green-and-Whites’ next opportunity to remedy that comes on Saturday 25 February away to Köln (kick-off: 15:30 CET). Sebastiaan Bornauw will miss out due to suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Goals

  • 0-1 Forsberg (14’): So frustrating! The Wolves are unable to properly clear a Leipzig attack and the ball falls kindly for Forsberg, who rifles it into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
  • 0-2 Laimer (85’): Leipzig score again. Christopher Nkunku’s through ball finds Laimer just ahead of Bornauw, and the midfielder’s angled shot goes into the bottom right-hand corner.
  • 0-3 Szoboszlai (90’+2): The knockout blow. Szoboszlai makes it 3-0 to the visitors. The Hungarian dribbles through the VfL penalty area and leaves Koen Casteels no chances from 10 metres.

Reaction

Niko Kovac: “The first 15 minutes in the first half were ok but after that we didn’t compete in any of the tackles. Leipzig play very intensively so if you don’t compete then you’re always chasing after them, trying to plug the gaps. We didn’t play well at all, but we did improve in the second half. It was clear to see today that we’re a long way off Leipzig’s level. They deserve to be playing in the Champions League. We still have a lot to learn, and need to make sure we stop this negative run we’re on. The only way to do that is by working hard, not primarily by playing football.”

Marco Rose: “We’re obviously delighted with the win, but also with the performance. I think it was an open game at the start and it was clear what we were up against: lots of intensity and quality. We knew we would have to match that. We did so very well and were able to take command of proceedings relatively quickly. We scored decisive goals in decisive moments of the game. Overall we deserved to win.”

Line-up and stats

VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku, Bornauw, van de Ven, Otavio (46‘ Lacroix) – Arnold, F. Nmecha (74’ Ambros), Gerhardt, Wimmer (59‘ Svanberg), Waldschmidt (46’ Marmoush) – Wind (59‘ L. Nmecha)

Subs: Pervan (GK), Fischer, Franjic, Guilavogui

RB Leipzig: Blaswich – Klostermann, Orban, Gvardiol, Raum (87‘ Halstenberg) – Haidara (87‘ Kampl), Schlager, Szoboszlai, Forsberg (75‘ Laimer), Werner (75‘ Poulsen) – Silva (68‘ Nkunku)

Subs: Nyland (GK), Henrichs, Simakan, Clark

Goals: 0-1 Forsberg (14‘), 0-2 Laimer (85‘), 0-3 Szoboszlai (90‘+2)

Yellow cards: Bornauw / Raum

Special mention: VfL goalkeeper Casteels made his 200th Bundesliga appearance for the Wolves.

Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Nürnberg)

Attendance: 24,831 at Volkswagen Arena