VfL Wolfsburg has initially slowed down Borussia Dortmund’s race to catch up in the Bundesliga. Coach Niko Kovac’s team defied BVB to draw 1-1 (0-1) on Saturday (February 17, 2024), but have remained winless for seven games.
Niclas Füllkrug gave Dortmund an early lead with a goal (8th minute). Substitute Yannick Gerhardt equalized with a header (64th).
BVB will remain undefeated in 2024
For Dortmund, however, there was a shot across the bow – right before the first leg of the round of 16 Champions League on Tuesday (9 p.m.) at the PSV Eindhoven. At least that stayed team by coach Edin Terzic also unbeaten in the sixth game in 2024.
“We couldn’t maintain control and pressure. You have to call it an unsatisfactory performance and go home with a fair draw,” the BVB coach later told Sportschau.
The will of the Wolfsburg team could not be denied on Saturday afternoon. The hosts stepped on the gas right from the start, immediately took command – but were caught off guard. After Winter’s arrival Kevin Behrens hit the brilliantly reacting BVB team with a 22-meter hammer in the fourth minute.Keeper Gregor Kobel failed and Dortmund’s first promising attack faltered in their own net.
Dortmund’s Füllkrug hits with his thigh
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.
The guests then managed their lead without much effort. Wolfsburg continued to put in a lot of effort, but they were lacking in front of the goal Kovac-protégés but in clarity and precision. 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.
Ongoing protests from both fan camps
The game didn’t really get going in the second half either, which was also due to the constant protests from the two 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.
Inka Blumensaat, sports show, February 17, 2024 6:02 p.m
Wolfsburg rewards itself
Football was also played occasionally. And then the “Wolves” rewarded themselves for their great effort 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.
“The team plays really passionately. They do everything they can to keep the points at home. We should have won the game today, but we’re not rewarding ourselves for the good work.”Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac analyzed on the Sportschau microphone after the game.
BVB in Eindhoven and against TSG, VfL in Frankfurt
BVB will play next Tuesday (February 20, 2024, 9 p.m.) in the Champions League at the PSV Eindhoven further. The next opponent in the Bundesliga will be TSG Hoffenheim next Sunday (February 25, 2024, 5:30 p.m.). VfL Wolfsburg is visiting Eintracht Frankfurt on the same day, but two hours earlier.