As of: December 2nd, 2023 5:51 p.m
Bundesliga soccer team VfL Wolfsburg has experienced its next disappointment abroad. Lower Saxony lost 1:3 (1:2) at VfL Bochum on Saturday. It was the sixth defeat in the seventh away game.
This away record could cost the “Wolves” dearly. Only once this season, at 1. FC Köln (2-1), was VfL coach Niko Kovac’s team able to celebrate after a performance in foreign territory. This meager yield prevents Lower Saxony from moving forward in the table. A week after the home win against RB Leipzig, there was another setback away from home.
“We’ll analyze the game now, then play in Gladbach and try to get a win there.”
VfL sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz when asked about coach Niko Kovac
After the encounter, goalkeeper Koen Castels found it difficult to explain the poor performance: “We said several times during the week that this was a fight. I think we lost the game in the first half today.” What particularly annoyed him was that “we lost all 50:50 balls and didn’t win any second balls. Then you’re always running behind.”
Sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz, himself with a background in Bochum, was also dismayed after the game: “We’ve been trying for weeks to become more stable, to concede significantly fewer goals. Now it’s been three again. We have to put a stop to that as quickly as possible.” When asked about job security for coach Kovac, Schindzielorz responded evasively: “We’ll analyze the game now and then play in Gladbach and try to get a win there.”
Next Tuesday the “Wolves” will play in the DFB Cup against Borussia (8.45 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter).
Wolfsburg’s keeper Casteels almost scored an own goal
At first not much happened in Bochum, but then Casteels suddenly followed in the footsteps of HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes. The latter had the evening before Hamburg’s second division city derby at FC St. Pauli produced one of the strangest own goals in the history of German professional football.
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Casteels slid the ball past the inside of his left foot after a back pass in the Ruhrstadion in the 15th minute. The ball was already rolling threateningly towards the Wolfsburg goal before the Belgian was able to knock it away in dire need right in front of the goal line.
Harmless “Wolves” fall behind 0-2
This scene somehow had an invigorating effect on Bochum’s game. They became bolder and pushed for leadership. With success: After Patrick Osterhage, who was born in Göttingen, had given two Wolfsburg players a feint, he overcame Casteels with a low shot from 14 meters – 1-0 for the hosts (19th).
Afterwards – driven by their fans – they were clearly the better team. Captain Anthony Losilla missed a dream goal by just a few centimeters. His volley from the turn with the outside of his instep hit the post (38′). The goal celebration was only delayed by a few seconds. Bernardo made it 2-0 with a header (39th) for Bochum, who had remained winless in their previous five home games.
Svanberg brings Wolfsburg here
There was no offensive attack from the “Wolves” for a long time in the first half. That changed in the first minute of added time. After preparatory work by Jonas Wind, Mattias Svanberg reduced the score to 1:2 – it was a goal out of nowhere.
Kovac team misses the equalizer
Even after the restart, the people of Lower Saxony found it difficult despite all their efforts. They only created a goal threat a quarter of an hour before the end of the game through top striker Wind. The Dane was denied from a tight angle by Bochum’s keeper Manuel Riemann – as was Tiago Tomas from a central position soon afterwards (85′). It could have been 2:2, but a little later it was 1:3 from the perspective of the third weakest away team in the Bundesliga. Bochum’s Christopher Antwi-Adjei decided the game after a counterattack (87th).
13th matchday, December 2nd, 2023 3:30 p.m
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2023-12-02 18:22:54
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