Status: 04/30/2023 8:18 p.m
Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg impressively underpinned its ambitions for a place in the European Cup on Sunday. Lower Saxony won 3-0 (3-0) against 1. FSV Mainz 05.
With four games to go, the “Wolves” are seventh in the table and therefore where they want to be at least after the end of the season. The current place in the table would be enough to participate in the Conference League if Freiburg or Leipzig and not Frankfurt or Stuttgart win the DFB Cup. “We made good use of our chances this time. It’s fun when you lead quickly 1-0, 2-0,” said Sebastiaan Bornauw, the scorer for Wolfsburg’s second goal, after the first home win in more than three months.
The duel with Mainz, who had been unbeaten ten times in a row, was surprisingly clear for the team of VfL coach Niko Kovac, also because striker Jonas Wind was able to get out of the jam.
“Wolves” very strong in half one
The 24-year-old struck for the first time in the fifth minute. After a strong combination and a nice laydown by Mattias Svanberg, he lobbed the ball over FSV keeper Robin Zentner to make it 1-0. The Dane has scored a goal in the Bundesliga for the first time since January 24 (5-0 at Hertha BSC).
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Soon after, the hosts passed the ball safely and quickly, and this time Bornauw headed in after a cross from Patrick Wimmer – 2-0 for VfL (13th)! Mainz, who defeated Bayern Munich a week ago, hardly knew what was happening to them.
Wind hits again – 3-0 for Wolfsburg
That was always the case afterwards when the hosts let the ball run through their ranks at high speed. A fixed point was on the right flank Ridle Baku. In the 28th minute, he smacked his opponent with a fine back-heel trick and body deception, then immediately sent a sharp diagonal pass through the five-metre box, and there was wind at the back post – 3:0!
AUDIO: VfL coach Kovac: “That’s how we imagine it” (2 min)
And then the Rheinhessen were suddenly there offensively! Karim Onisiwo got a free-standing shot from eight yards out, but wasn’t allowed to celebrate afterwards because VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels made a strong save with his foot (38′). Wolfsburg took the comfortable lead into the break.
VfL is no longer in trouble
Mainz tried to reduce the gap after the restart. The guests didn’t become really dangerous, also because Bornauw (68th) and Josuha Guilavogui (85th) were there with strong tackles in the penalty area. Wolfsburg did not do more than necessary as the game progressed. The deserved home win was no longer in danger.
Matchday 30, April 30, 2023, 5:30 p.m
