VfL Wolfsburg strike early and late to win game of many chances 2-0

Boris Rupert reporting from Wolfsburg

The 28,675 spectators at a not quite sold-out Volkswagen-Arena saw the home side make a high-tempo start to the game and take the lead through Micky van de Ven in the sixth minute. The Wolves came close to doubling their lead in the period that followed, but BVB grew into the game towards the end of the first half and hit the post through Niklas Süle (45+2). Lukas Nmecha netted in stoppage time to kill off a match that was brimming with penalty-box action and characterised by strong goalkeeping.

The scenario:
Eleventh versus fourth. The Lower Saxons had not lost a match since their 2-0 defeat at Union Berlin on 18 September and were on a seven-game unbeaten streak in all competitions (BVB six matches). Borussia had won their seven previous outings in Wolfsburg.

Personnel matters:
Having made his comeback against Bochum, Reus was sidelined again with ankle discomfort. Also unavailable were Bynoe-Gittens, Dahoud (both shoulder operations), Haller (tumour), Meunier (fractured cheekbone) Morey (knee operation), Rothe (bruised bone) and Wolf (vestibular system disorder caused by an infection). There was one change to the line-up: Adeyemi replaced Reyna.

Tactics:   
The Black & Yellows transitioned seamlessly between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations – both in central midfield when Bellingham broke away from Özcan in double pivot role and advanced higher up the pitch; and in the attacking wide areas, where Adeyemi and Malen practically assumed the roles of wing forwards. It was a similar story for the Wolves, who lined up in a clear 4-3-3 system with Arnold sitting in front of the defence and two central midfielders further forward (Gerhardt and Felix Nmecha).

The match & analysis:
The home side made a furious start to this game – contested between the teams that made the most and third-most sprints. Kobel had to draw on every ounce of his goalkeeping ability in the third minute. Kaminski sped down the right flank at high tempo and teed up Marmoush, whose powerful shot from a central position 15 metres out was denied by the BVB goalie's strong reactions (3). Bellingham put the next cross from the right behind for a corner with a diving header two minutes later. Arnold's delivery was involuntarily flicked on by Schlotterbeck, who was engaged in an aerial battle with Bornauw, towards the back post, where van de Ven headed home from close range for 1-0 (6).

BVB started to get their opponents under control on the quarter-hour mark and created their first opportunities around the 20-minute mark. Malen first slid in to meet a low cross from Guerreiro, but Casteels was on hand to make the save (19); two minutes later, the Dutchman broke through in the left of the box and fired powerfully at goal – this time, it was a more challenging save for Casteels to make. In the 22nd minute, Bellingham intercepted a pass deep in the Wolfsburg half and immediately fed Moukoko, whose cross towards Brandt was cleared behind by Bornauw for a corner.

But Wolfsburg generally looked more purposeful and created another opportunity through Marmoush, who could not beat Kobel, in the 24th minute, before Süle intervened to clear a moment of grave danger with Wind lurking. Guerreiro cleared Kaminski's shot off the line from the ensuing corner (32). Five minutes before the break, Marmoush fired narrowly wide of the right upright from the edge of the box. But BVB had chances both before and after that. Malen's cross from the right flank was headed only centimetres wide of the mark by Brandt (39), while Süle went for goal from the edge of the six-yard box after a corner and missed narrowly (43). Süle then had a great opportunity to level the scores at 1-1 in first-half stoppage time, thumping a Guerreiro cross against the right upright from a centre-right position. The chance ratio was even at the break (5-5), but Wolfsburg were the livelier team on the whole: they had run over four kilometres more and won 60% of the challenges.

Ten minutes of the second period had elapsed by the time the Black & Yellows next came close to restoring parity. Guerreiro went straight for goal with a free-kick from a tight angle, but Casteels managed to get his hands to it and make the save (55). Seconds later, Malen crossed the ball from the left flank and Moukoko got the better of two defenders, only for the Wolfsburg custodian to make another strong stop. BVB were in the front foot but needed to be careful and had Kobel to thank for making two strong saves in the space of seconds – first to deny Wind (61), and then Nmecha (62).

By the hour mark, BVB had managed to reverse the tackle statistics and now led with 52% of challenges won. With 20 minutes to go, Terzic made a double substitution and brought on Hazard to replace the solid Süle to a bid to inject more power down the flank, while Modeste replaced Malen as a second striker. Reyna had already come on in place of Adeyemi in the 61st minute. Guerreiro then struck the post, but the ball had already gone out of play (75). Wolfsburg defended passionately and doubled their advantage in stoppage time: Brandt slipped over during build-up play and a Wolfsburg player played it out wide to Wimmer, whose cross from the right was steered home by Lukas Nmecha (90+2).

Outlook:   
Borussia Dortmund will travel to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday (kick-off at 20:30 CET) for their final game of 2022.

Teams & goals

Bundesliga Matchday 14
VFL WOLFSBURG 2-0 (1-0) BORUSSIA DORTMUND

VfL Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku, Bornauw, van de Ven, Paulo Otavio – Arnold – F. Nmecha (Svanberg, 88), Gerhardt – Kaminski (Roussillon, 88), Wind (L. Nmecha, 75), Marmoush (Wimmer, 57)
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Süle (Hazard, 70), Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro – Bellingham, Özcan (Pasalic, 80) – Adeyemi (Reyna, 61), Brandt, Malen (Modeste, 70) – Moukoko
Substitutes: Pervan, Fischer, Lacroix, Waldschmidt, Brekalo– Meyer, Can, Passlack, Coulibaly, Papadopoulos
Goals: 1-0 van de Ven (Arnold, 6), 2-0 L. Nmecha (Wimmer, 90+2)
Corners: 6-10 (3-5 at half-time), chance ratio: 8-8 (5-5)
Referee: Dingert (Gries), yellow cards: F. Nmecha, Marmoush, L. Nmecha – Hummels
Attendance: 28,675, weather: dry, 13 degrees