First Team

Super sub Majer hits brace

Lovro Majer came off the bench to earn VfL a point against TSG Hoffenheim.

VfL-Wolfsburg-Spieler Majer bejubelt seinen Treffer gegen Hoffenheim.

VfL Wolfsburg drew for a fourth consecutive game in 2024, twice coming from behind at home to TSG Hoffenheim to draw 2-2 thanks to a Lovro Majer brace. New signing Kevin Behrens provided an assist on his debut for the club, teeing up the team’s first goal.

Goals

  • 0-1 Beier (6’): VfL are caught out on the break, with Umut Tohumcu winning the ball just outside his own penalty area and playing it forward to Maximilian Beier. He beats Sebastiaan Bornauw and fires past Koen Casteels into the far corner.
     
  • 1-1 Majer (58’): The equaliser! A brilliantly worked goal as Jonas Wind gets down the right and chips the ball to Mattias Svanberg. He immediately crosses low into the box, where Behrens lays it off for Majer, who buries the equaliser shortly after coming onto the pitch. It’s VfL’s first goal from a substitute this season!
     
  • 1-2 Prömel (66’): How frustrating. A defensive mix-up leads to Hoffenheim going in front again as Casteels tries to find Maximilian Arnold, but inadvertently plays the ball straight to Robert Skov. The visitors work the ball to Ihlas Bebou and then Grischa Prömel, who finishes from close range.
     
  • 2-2 Majer (70’): Majer heads a cross from Kevin Paredes over the bar from close range, but is pushed by Stanley Nsoki as he does so. The referee awards a penalty, which Majer takes himself and smashes the ball into the top right corner, equalising once again.

Reaction

Niko Kovac: “Hoffenheim caused us plenty of problems in the first 15-20 minutes especially. After we changed our tactics we were much better in the second half. The boys went behind twice but showed their character and earned a point. There are plenty of positives to take from the game. I’m sure the team will get their reward over the coming weeks.”

Pellegrino Matarazzo: “I think a draw is a fair result. In terms of scoring chances, it was a pretty even game. Seeing as we haven’t won for a few weeks, it’s especially frustrating that after taking the lead twice we weren’t able to see it over the line. But my team showed that they were willing to pull together, even in tough periods of the game.”

Line-ups and stats

VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Maehle (55‘ Baku), Bornauw, Jenz, Rogerio – Vranckx (56’ Majer), Arnold – Cerny (46’ Svanberg), Wind, Paredes – Behrens (84’ Pejcinovic)

Subs: Pervan, Zesiger, Fischer, Gerhardt, Kaminski

TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann – Kaderabek, Kabak, Brooks, Nsoki – Stach – Tohumcu (65‘ Skov), Prömel – Kramaric (86‘ Conte) – Weghorst (65‘ Bebou), Beier (90‘+2 Bülter)

Subs: Philipp (GK), Adams, Jurasek, Akpoguma, Bischof

Goals: 0-1 Beier (6‘), 1-1 Majer (58‘), 1-2 Prömel (66‘), 2-2 Majer (70‘)

Yellow cards: Jenz, Majer / Kabak, Nsoki, Brooks

Referee: Florian Badstübner (Nuremberg)

Attendance: 22,917 at Volkswagen Arena