After a self-sacrificing fight lasting over 120 minutes, SC Paderborn won the relegation game against Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 and will play in the Bundesliga next season. Laurin Curda scored the goal of the day in extra time. VfL was relegated for the first time after 29 years in the Bundesliga.
After the 0-0 draw in the first leg last Thursday, both coaches decided against the big rotation. For the hosts, Mika Baur moved into the starting line-up for Jonah Sticker, who was banned from yellow and red, while Vinicius Souza, who was recently suspended, slipped into the first eleven for VfL.
Early shock for Paderborn
The anticipation for the most important game in many years was palpable in Paderborn before kick-off, but it suffered a bitter setback after less than three minutes. Joakim Mæhle passed the entire Paderborn defense with a long ball and found striker Adam Daghim. The 20-year-old Dane played the ball into the backcourt, where strike partner Dzenan Pejcinovic carefully slotted it in to make it 1-0.
The second division team needed a few minutes to overcome the early setback. After ten minutes things got heated for the first time. Paderborn’s Filip Bilbija clashed with Mæhle – both were shown a yellow card. Just three minutes later, Mæhle was the focus again. The Dane came way too late in a duel with his leg stretched out and was shown a yellow-red card after just 14 minutes.
The dynamics of the game changed immediately. The guests, who had had everything under control so far, were able to push themselves deep into their own half with one less man. Paderborn didn’t get much more than one corner after the other in the first 30 minutes. Then Santiago Castaneda tested Wolfsburg’s keeper Kamil Grabara with a powerful shot from 14 meters (35′). The Polish international took a long shot and parried brilliantly.
Bilbija rewards itself and all of Paderborn
Paderborn didn’t let up and pushed for the equalizer. A throw-in deep in Wolfsburg’s half landed on the head of Calvin Brackelmann, who extended it precisely to Bilbija’s head. The most striking Paderborn player headed in the deserved 1-1 equalizer (38th). Wolfsburg couldn’t cope with this phase of pressure at all and dragged the score 1-1 into the break.
Even after the break, only the SCP played. After the ninth corner and header from Stefano Marino, Jeanuel Belocian saved on the line for VfL. Sebastian Klaas’ follow-up shot was blocked just before the line (50′). A little later, Marino headed the opening goal after a pinpoint cross from Brackelmann (56th), and the next shot from Klaas landed at the left post from 16 meters (61st).
Michel’s header hits the post
With the shot against the post, Paderborn’s pressure phase came to an end, Wolfsburg was able to gain some breathing room and made one or two forays forward. In stoppage time, Paderborn’s joker and club legend Sven Michel scored the last minute goal – the ball only hit the post. Wolfsburg barely managed to get into extra time after 2:31 shots on goal after 90 minutes.
Curda becomes Paderborn’s promotion hero
The hosts continued where they left off in regular time. After Grabara made an outstanding save (92′), Laurin Curda’s big moment came a little later. The thrower before the 1:1 completed a cross from Michel with a direct pass to make it 2:1 and made himself Paderborn’s promotion hero with the winning goal.
VfL didn’t have much to counter the setback and had to admit defeat to the second division team. For the East Westphalians, it is the third promotion to the Bundesliga after 2014 and 2019. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, is saying goodbye to the upper house for the first time in 29 years.
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