It’s a draw that may help both: VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach don’t score any goals in a 0-0 draw, but are making up ground in the fight to stay in the Bundesliga.
After FC St. Pauli’s defeat in Heidenheim, Wolfsburg’s draw brought them within one point of the Hanseatic League and the relegation place. With the draw, Mönchengladbach retained its seven-point lead over Wolfsburg. Substitute Gio Reyna had the best chance of scoring the winning goal for Gladbach, hitting the right post with a header shortly before the end.
“In terms of the game, it’s a fair draw“said Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking at the Sportschau microphone. “We didn’t have as much access as we would have liked.“His team would have done better in the second half, and Hecking was particularly pleased that they didn’t concede a goal this time,”but we would have liked not to have had a zero at the front“, said the Wolves coach, who also made it clear that the draw is of more use to Gladbach in the current situation than to his team.
“It was one of our best first half. In the second half you could tell that both teams had a lot of mental energy“said Gladbach’s coach Eugen Polanski, alluding to the delicate table situation of the two clubs.”We would have liked to have made it more positive, but based on the results of the competition, this is a point gain“, he expressed his satisfaction with the 0-0 result.
It was like a spring awakening for VfL Wolfsburg when they achieved their first three-pointer after twelve winless games with a 2-1 win at Union Berlin last weekend. Suddenly it was within reach again, the jump to a non-relegation zone. Follow up against Mönchengladbach – that was the motto for coach Dieter Hecking’s team. Also to alleviate the suffering of the supporters a little – they had to watch bankruptcies in VfL’s last five home games.
For Borussia, the task was similarly clear: make it almost clear that they would stay in the league with an away win. And coach Eugen Polanski’s team got off to a good start in the match. In bright sunshine in the VW city, it only took a handful of seconds for Kevin Stöger to shoot towards the Wolves’ goal for the first time from 17 meters on the left after Haris Tabakovic’s lay-off – just past the right. Less than a minute later, Franck Honorat aimed just over the Wolfsburg box after a quick attack from the left.
Gladbach dominates the initial phase
The hosts struggled to find their way into the game. Mönchengladbach had 70 percent possession of the ball after 15 minutes of the game, and the guests also had a goal-scoring record of 3-0. Only Mohamed Amoura got the Wolfsburg supporters going a bit when he put a dangerous shot at the near corner in the 17th minute, but was unable to overcome Gladbach’s keeper Moritz Nicolas.
The wolves actually had good memories of Gladbach. In the first leg, Lower Saxony celebrated one of their very few wins of the season with a 3-1 away win. But this time there was no sign of enthusiasm or power football in front of 27,900 spectators. Gladbach dominated. After 29 minutes, VfL keeper Kamil Grabara had to stretch to defuse a long-range shot from Tabakovic.
Wolfsburg’s Eriksen and Wimmer don’t work
What was particularly disappointing at VfL was the midfield: Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen didn’t play at all, and his partner Patrick Wimmer seemed overwhelmed by the central role. The Austrian is actually a wide player with a lot of quality – in the center he revealed weaknesses in overview and positional play.
Gladbach dominated, played well and with control, but had a problem: they didn’t take advantage of the numerous opportunities. Joe Scally should have made it 0-1 after 35 minutes, but shot past the far post from a completely free position from a half-right position twelve meters away from the goal. Tabakovic had an even greater chance sixty seconds later when he shot over the box from eleven meters after a Wolfsburg setup error.
Wolfsburg’s Amoura misses the big chance
And yet Wolfsburg almost went into the break with a lead. In the 44th minute, Gladbach defender Nico Elvedi undercut a long ball from Wolfsburg and Amoura suddenly had a free path. The Algerian was up and running, but shot just past the right post from 16 meters.
The mood in the stands was good, the fans obviously enjoyed the good weather and the joint event of the Bundesliga game. The good mood had little to do with the quality of the match – the game became increasingly flat in the second half. At least positive for Wolfsburg: They no longer allowed as many opposing chances.
Opportunities are in short supply, Gladbach is hiding
But going forward – things remained tough. Maybe something went beyond standards? In fact, an Eriksen corner brought the greatest danger after 76 minutes, when the moved-up central defender Konstantinos Koulierakis sent a header from close range just past the right post.
What was noticeable in this phase: the Gladbachers, who were so dominant before the break, became more and more passive – a phenomenon that had been observed several times with the Polanski team over the course of the season. In the 79th minute, Borussia almost paid for their restraint. After a cross from the left, VfL defender Sael Kumbedi rushed into the ball, but fired it narrowly past the right from seven meters.
Gladbach’s Castrop sees red
Shortly before the goal closed, the Gladbachers suddenly freed themselves from their lethargy. After a right-wing cross from substitute Robin Hack, Gio Reyna, who also arrived late, headed the ball onto the right post with an arc lamp.
However, Gladbach will have to do without Castrop in the next games. The Borussia left defender committed a double foul near the halfway line in stoppage time, for which he was shown a red card by referee Tobias Stieler.
Wolfsburg in Freiburg, Gladbach against Dortmund
The upcoming program for both teams: Wolfsburg will be guests at SC Freiburg on Sunday evening (7.30 p.m.). Gladbach welcomes Borussia Dortmund a little earlier on Sunday (5:30 p.m.).
