VfL coach Kovac in focus
©IMAGO
VfL Wolfsburg and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim are still eagerly awaiting an end to their winless streak in the Bundesliga amid discussions about their coaches. The two midfield teams couldn’t get past a 2-2 (0-1) draw in Wolfsburg on Sunday.
The Lower Saxony team, who got their fourth draw in a row, have now been waiting for three points for five games, the Kraichgauer team for six. Substitute Croatian midfielder Lovro Majer (59th minute/70th) equalized Hoffenheim’s opening goals by Maximilian Beier (6th) and Grischa Prömel (66th).
The VfL coach Niko Kovac, who has come under criticism, probably did not promote himself to the sporting leadership due to his team’s weak performance over long stretches. The VfL fans among the 22,917 spectators often expressed their displeasure with their team’s sporting activities by whistling.
Managing director Marcel Schäfer expressed his confidence in the coach before the game and said that together they believed in the turnaround. To initiate this, the hosts strengthened themselves in the winter with attacker Kevin Behrens. “With Kevin it’s the case that he’s in the feed,” praised Kovac on DAZN. The entry from league rivals 1. FC Union Berlin, who played from the start, remained pale for long stretches.
On the other hand, coach Pellegrino Matarazzo expected ex-Wolfsburg player Wout Weghorst to provide the right bite in the attack and also put returnee Ozan Kabak in the starting line-up. Hoffenheim seemed more stable than VfL in the first half. Even if Wolfsburg repeatedly caused danger. Wind (20th) failed at the post and at the well-disposed Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann (30th).
Majer brought new life into the game when he curled a low shot into the goal. Captain Maximilian Arnold’s mistake after goalkeeper Koen Casteels’ pass helped Prömel take the visitors’ lead again. Majer then scored the final point with a converted penalty.
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