First Team

Late disappointment

Wolves lose 1-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the closing stages.

VfL Wolfsburg suffered defeat on Matchday 21 of the Bundesliga. The home game for head coach Daniel Bauer’s side against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday afternoon ended 2-1 (1-0). Julian Brandt’s opener before the break (38) was answered by Konstantinos Koulierakis with the equaliser (52). In an open contest in which VfL increasingly held the upper hand, it was ultimately the visitors who had the final say in front of 28,917 fans in a sold-out Volkswagen Arena, with Serhou Guirassy sealing the win shortly before full-time (87). In the table, the Green-Whites slipped to 15th place. VfL are back in action on Sunday, 15 February (kick-off 5.30pm), away at RB Leipzig.

SQUAD

Patrick Wimmer (muscular problems), Sael Kumbedi and Vini Souza (both ill) were not fit in time. With Bauer also able to select two new signings in Jeanuel Belocian and Jonas Adjetey, there were six changes compared to the match at 1. FC Köln: Koulierakis, Belocian, Kevin Paredes, Adam Daghim, Mohammed Amoura and Kento Shiogai – who, like Belocian, made his VfL starting debut – all came into the XI, replacing Souza and Wimmer as well as suspended Moritz Jenz and Yannick Gerhardt, Lovro Majer and Dzenan Pejcinovic. For the visitors, who last time out beat 1. FC Heidenheim 3-2, Niklas Süle, Julian Ryerson and Maximilian Beier started in place of Filippo Mane, Yan Couto and Karim Adeyemi.

Match action

In Niko Kovac’s first visit to the Volkswagen Arena since leaving VfL, BVB went on the offensive early, but found themselves up against resilient Wolves who defended well at the start. It developed into a balanced game, with the Green-Whites holding their own and repeatedly providing attacking moments. The best chance fell to Amoura after a superb pass from Daghim, but he fired narrowly wide. As the half wore on, Dortmund increased the pressure, looked dangerous particularly from set pieces and took the lead from a corner through Brandt. The BVB stayed on top after that and could certainly have added another. VfL, though, took the narrow deficit into the break.

After the restart, the Wolves came out with far more energy. The equaliser was the logical result: following a free-kick cross from Maximilian Arnold, Koulierakis powered a header in for 1-1. VfL then stayed on the front foot, created numerous chances and, for example, hit the crossbar through Majer. Amoura in particular was denied on several occasions from promising positions by Gregor Kobel. Just as a Wolfsburg winner looked increasingly likely, Dortmund struck late on: Guirassy ruthlessly finished a central move to make it 2-1. In stoppage time, Arnold was unfortunate with another effort that hit the woodwork. In the end, it remained a flattering yet clinical Dortmund away win.

GOALS

  • 0-1 Brandt (38): Brandt rises highest in the box after a corner from the left and heads Dortmund into the lead.
     
  • 1-1 Koulierakis (52): Arnold delivers a free kick perfectly into the box, Koulierakis wins the aerial duel and powers in a header.
     
  • 1-2 Guirassy (87): After an attack through the middle, the VfL defence is too passive, Guirassy is played in on the left and finishes calmly.

Reactions

Daniel Bauer: I think Dortmund’s winning goal – worked with real quality and finished ruthlessly – made the big difference. That exact efficiency was brutally missing from us today. The lads put in a huge fight and, compared to the second half in Cologne, raised it another notch. In the first half we also had to suffer, and at times we gave the ball away too easily. But we also had a one-on-one situation that you simply have to take against Dortmund. The second half was outstanding – we were really able to bring our football fully onto the pitch. Unfortunately, we wasted too many clear-cut chances. That’s why we’re naturally going home very, very disappointed today.

Niko Kovac: Over the full 90 minutes, we saw a very intense game from both teams today. The first half was ours, the second went to VfL. At the start we did it well, made the opponent run and didn’t allow much, but we should have gone into half-time with a second goal. After that, we did exactly what we didn’t want to. We slowed the game down and had too many simple turnovers. Wolfsburg immediately broke after winning the ball. That’s how VfL got their chances. My team then showed mentality and won the game with luck, but also with quality.

LINE-UPS AND STATS

VfL Wolfsburg: Grabara – Fischer (17 Bürger), Koulierakis, Vavro, Belocian – Arnold, Eriksen, Daghim (83 Svanberg), Shiogai (64 Majer), Paredes (64 Lindström) – Amoura (83 Pejcinovic)

Subs: Müller (GK), Adjetey, Gerhardt, Hensel

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel – Süle (88 Bensebaini), Anton, Schlotterbeck – Ryerson (69 Fabio Silva), Bellingham, Nmecha (88 Özcan), Svensson – Beier (90+6 Reggiani), Brandt (88 Chukwuemeka) – Guirassy

Subs: Meyer (GK), Albert, Inacio

Goals: 0-1 Brandt (38), 1-1 Koulierakis (52), 1-2 Guirassy (87)

Yellow cards: Daghim / Schlotterbeck

Referee: Timo Gerach (Landau)

Attendance: 28,917 on Saturday afternoon at the Volkswagen Arena (sold out)