A double pack from half-time joker Jonas Wind gave VfL Wolfsburg a happy victory in the Bundesliga against 1. FSV Mainz 05 after being behind three times. In the final phase, Wind secured the 4:3 (1:2) victory with two goals.
Almost 80 minutes on Sunday didn’t actually say much for VfL Wolfsburg’s second home win of the current Bundesliga season. But then there was wind.
First, the striker, who came on as a substitute at the break, took advantage of a misunderstanding in the Mainz 05 defense to make it 3-3 (84′). And then in stoppage time he was actually there to score the celebrated 4-3 winning goal (90th + 4).
Mainz is annoyed, Joker Wind triumphs
“In the end I didn’t think about anything, I just hoped. Then everything just falls away, we showed a brutal mentality”said Wolfsburg’s captain Maximilian Arnold to the Sportschau. Winning goalscorer Jonas Wind was simply happy: “A very good feeling, a very important victory. That was awesome.”
“It’s annoying for us, normally you have to win games like this. We were the better team”said Mainz coach Bo Henriksen. That’s just football, coincidence, a bit of bad luck, a bit of quality.
A fog double pack is not enough for Mainz
On the other hand, the Mainz team, who had previously won three times, had helplessness written all over their faces. Actually, Bo Henriksen’s team had done a lot right. Awake, bold and courageous, the guests had repeatedly taken the lead.
Paul Nebel (11th, 66th) with his first Bundesliga brace and national player Jonathan Burkardt (39th) with his tenth goal of the season had the equalizer by Mohamed Amoura (20th) and an own goal by Andreas Hanche-Olsen (57th). ) let you forget.
But then the strong wind came – and Wolfsburg celebrated the three points that moved VfL (21 points) to fifth place and closer to the Champions League places. Mainz 05 (19 points) slipped to ninth place after their first away defeat of the season.
Wolfsburg’s Amoura makes it 1-1
In Wolfsburg, the Mainz team also overcame the early injury-related retirement of Danny da Costa (5th) and consistently continued their line under Bo Svensson. After winning the ball, the guests quickly switched gears. Nebel escaped over the half-right and shot precisely into the far corner to make it 1-0. The hosts struggled, barely got in front of the goal and needed a little help to equalize.
Amoura made it 1-1 after 05 keeper Robin Zentner high-fived a Tomas cross from outside. This didn’t bother Mainz much. The guests played their game with a lot of self-confidence, attacked well and then moved forward quickly. This also happened with the goal to make it 2-1. Hanche-Olsen, who came on as a substitute for da Costa, played hard against Amoura in midfield. The ball came into the penalty area from the right, where Stefan Bell extended and Burkardt finished with his chest into the goal.
Burkardt now Mainz record scorer
It was the 24-year-old’s 33rd Bundesliga goal. This makes Burkardt, along with Karim Onisiwo, the record scorer at Mainz 05. Mainz retained the upper hand until the break (54 percent of ball possession, 9:3 shots on goal) and also got into the second half well. However, Burkardt (50′) didn’t get enough pressure behind his header. VfL goalkeeper Kamil Grabara cleared the ball without any problems.
Own goal doesn’t upset Mainz. But Wolfsburg gradually found their way into the game. Ralph Hasenhüttl had brought a striker into the center with Wind (46th), around whom the lively Tiago Tomas and Amoura were scurrying, which then led to the equalizer. Amoura duped Dominik Kohr on the outside. Tomas shot the back pass directly towards the goal. Hanche-Olsson unfortunately deflected into his own net to make it 2-2.
Caci missed Preliminary decision for Mainz
Wolfsburg now joined in, but Mainz also kept going and so an open game developed. Nevertheless, the guests seemed more awake and determined – which then brought them back into the lead. Burkardt extended a cross with his shin towards the goal. Grabara could only high-five. Burkardt quickly put it in the middle and Nebel only had to push in for a 3-2 lead.
The Lower Saxony were challenged, but delivered an uninspired performance overall offensively. But Mainz stayed awake. After a long hundred-pound hit, Anthony Caci (79th) won the running duel in the penalty area and then suddenly found himself alone in front of Grarbara. But Mainz missed the preliminary decision.
Wind + wind = victory for Wolfsburg
The guests also helped Wolfsburg equalize for the third time. Bell and Hanche-Olsen were at odds in the penalty area. Joakim Maehle reacted and pushed the ball to Wind, who shot the gift into the net to make it 3-3. Suddenly Mainz buckled, Wolfsburg sensed their chance and actually rewarded themselves.
Wind headed the last long Arnold free kick into the net to make it 4-3. The sixth shot on goal actually brought the happy Lower Saxony team their sixth win of the season.
Wolfsburg in Freiburg, Mainz against Bayern
Wolfsburg, which has now been without defeat in eight competitive games, travels to SC Freiburg on matchday 14 (Friday, December 13th, 2024, 8:30 p.m.). The ultimate test awaits Mainz in the home game against leaders Bayern Munich a day later (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.). In the DFB Cup, Mainz clearly lost 4-0 at the end of October.