National striker Niclas Füllkrug gave Dortmund an early lead with a goal (8th). Substitute Yannick Gerhardt equalized with a header (64th) for the Wolves, who, despite the respectable success, have been waiting for a win for seven league games. Kovac, whose future at the Mittelland Canal was recently discussed, should be more firmly in the saddle again after winning the point against the black and yellow.
For Dortmund, however, there was a shot across the bow – and that immediately before the first leg of the round of 16 in the Champions League on Tuesday (9 p.m. / Prime Video) at PSV Eindhoven. After all, coach Edin Terzic’s team remained unbeaten in the sixth game in 2024.
“The team is alive, nobody gives up, on the contrary,” Kovac emphasized before the game: “In football you also need that little bit of luck, which we don’t have at the moment.”
After an early lead, Dortmund takes their foot off the accelerator
The Wolfsburg team’s desire could not be denied on Saturday afternoon. The hosts stepped on the gas right from the start in front of 28,917 spectators in the sold-out Volkswagen Arena, immediately took command – and yet were caught cold. After Winter signing Kevin Behrens failed in the fourth minute with a 22-meter hammer past the brilliantly reacting BVB keeper Gregor Kobel, Dortmund’s first promising attack faltered in their own net.
After a strong opening game by Marcel Sabitzer, Marco Reus suddenly appeared quite freely in front of Koen Casteels on the left. The Wolfsburg returnee got his fingertips in the rather unplaced Reus attempt, but Füllkrug was lurking behind him, who maneuvered the leather into the goal with his thigh to give Dortmund the lead.
Fan protests overshadow the game
The guests then managed their lead without much effort. Wolfsburg continued to make an effort, but Kovac’s protégés lacked composure and precision in front of the goal. Behrens missed the best chance to equalize before the break. Kobel directed his attempt from close range onto the post in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
The game didn’t really get going in the second half either – which was also due to the constant protests from both fan camps. While in the first half it was the Wolfsburg curve that caused a total of four interruptions with throwing projectiles of all kinds, the BVB supporters got going after the break. Everything accompanied by chants of “Shitty DFL” on a continuous loop.
Football was also played occasionally. And then the Wolves rewarded themselves for their hard work in the middle of the second half. After a corner, Gerhardt, who came at halftime, rose highest and scored from two meters. Things got really loud again in Wolfsburg in the 77th minute when Lukas Nmecha, who had been injured for a long time, made his season debut.