VfL won the last match of the first half of the season’s fixtures 5-0 away to Hertha BSC, stretching their incredible record of consecutive leagues wins to six (with 22 goals scored during the run and just one conceded!).
Mattias Svanberg marked his return to the starting line-up by getting involved in four of the goals. The summer recruit from Sweden scored his first Bundesliga goal (4’) and then assisted on the back-to-back strikes by Maximilian Arnold (31’, penalty after a handball) and Jonas Wind (34’) as well as Ridle Baku’s fifth goal of the season (72’). Substitute Omar Marmoush put the icing on the cake in eye-catching fashion as the clock ran down (87’).
Goals
- 0-1 Svanberg (4’): The Swedish newcomer scores his first goal in the league, and what a goal it is. Wimmer fires in a low free-kick from the right to the back of the box, where the unmarked Svanberg slots the ball home beautifully into the bottom left-hand corner.
- 0-2 Arnold (31’, pen.): After a handball by Dodi Lukebakio, Arnold converts the penalty with aplomb.
- 0-3 Wind (34’): The Wolves turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye and Wind is on hand to finish off the move! Svanberg is involved once again, winning the ball back and then nodding down an Arnold cross to perfection for Wind, with the Dane keeping his cool to make it 3-0.
- 0-4 Baku (72’): Svanberg is yet again the man with the perfect pass, this time for Baku who is free on the right-hand side of the box and has plenty of time to fire the ball into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season. Breath-taking stuff!
- 0-5 Marmoush (86’): What a goal! The substitute shows all his class with an incredible solo run, beating a host of defenders and hammering home inside the left-hand post.
Reaction
Niko Kovac: “That was a well-earned win. I have to say that the first half tonight was the best we’ve played so far this season. We knew that we wouldn’t have an easy time of it here in Berlin, but we did end up making it easier on ourselves than we thought it would be. The goals that we created were absolutely sensational – I’m really pleased with that. In the second half, it took us 15 to 20 minutes to settle as Hertha ramped up the pressure for a while, without really creating any chances though. The fourth and fifth goals were also well-made ones. I’m pleased, but I’ve not lost sight of what we’ve still got to come. We need to take things one match at a time.”
Sandro Schwarz: “We started off very badly in the first half by conceding a goal from a set piece. The first 20 minutes after the break were better – we were sharper in the one-on-ones and more active, but overall it was a very disappointing night.”
Line-ups and stats
VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku, Lacroix, Bornauw, van de Ven – Arnold (83‘ Waldschmidt), Svanberg, Gerhardt (70‘ Guilavogui), Wimmer (70‘ Paredes), Kaminski (78‘ Franjic) – Wind (78‘ Marmoush)
Subs: Pervan (GK), Fischer, Philipp, Ambros
Hertha BSC: Christensen – Kenny (87‘ Pekarik), Rogel (46‘ Uremovic), Kempf, Mittelstädt Plattenhardt (46‘ Plattenhardt) – Tousart, Sunjic (46‘ Ngamkam), Lukebakio, Serdar, Richter (64‘ Scherhant) - Kanga
Subs: Ernst (GK), K.P. Boateng, Boetius, Maolida
Goals: 0-1 Svanberg (4’), 0-2 Arnold (31’, pen), 0-3 Wind (34’), 0-4 Baku (72’), 0-5 Marmoush (86’)
Yellow cards: - / Rogel, Lukebakio
Referee: Tobias Reichel (Stuttgart)
Attendance: 29,483 at Olympiastadion
