Marin Pongracic (5th from left) laid the foundation stone for the Wolfsburg victory in Leverkusen with his goal. Photo: Marius Becker / dpa-Pool / dpa (Image: dpa)
(Photo: Marius Becker / dpa-Pool / dpa)
Leverkusen – After the best second half of the club’s history so far, Bayer Leverkusen has experienced a bitterly awakening.
In the deserved 1: 4 (0: 1) against the severely weakened VfL Wolfsburg, not only numerous success series of the Werkself broke. She also lost the Champions League spot, which was only conquered on Saturday, directly to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Wolfsburg also secured sixth place with the fourth away win in the last five games, which entitles them to participate in the Europa League. Marin Pongracic with his first Bundesliga goals (43./75.), The outstanding Maximilian Arnold (64.) and Renato Steffen (68.) scored the goals of the guests, Julian Baumgartlinger could only shorten (85.).
«I didn’t even know that I could score Bundesliga goals. The flanks came in optimally, »said double goal scorer Pongracic. «We played bravely and attacked aggressively. But we would have liked to play zero: the goal congratulates me, »added the German Croat.
Leverkusen had previously won all seven home games in 2020, were undefeated twelve games and won eleven. The weak international, Kai Havertz, was involved in one goal in six games in a row, coach Peter Bosz had won his three games against Wolfsburg without conceding a goal. All of these series ended in one fell swoop.
Wolfsburg’s trainer Oliver Glasner had still got a well-known regular team, but the bench showed the great shortage of staff of the guests. In view of seven injured or suspended players, there were five players without any Bundesliga experience. Only Omar Marmousch ultimately made his debut.
Leverkusen seized the game immediately after the kick-off. For ten minutes, the hosts whirled with the confidence of the long series of successes, then they would have been caught almost cold. First defender Edmond Tapsoba saved in the last second from Wout Weghorst (12th), then Lukas Hradecky parried strongly against Joao Victor (16), who shot from five meters.
From then on, Wolfsburg had the game under control. The guests were stable and kept coming into dangerous rooms. Havertz also saw few balls against John Anthony Brooks until he almost succeeded 1-0 in the 38th minute: After a cross from Karim Bellarabi, he headed the ball onto the goal net. Instead, VfL took the lead when Pongracic headed a free kick from Arnold. The 22-year-old Croatian came from Salzburg in winter.
Bosz switched to the break three times and brought youngsters Florian Wirtz, Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger for Bellarabi, Sven Bender and Mitchell Weiser. But not much changed. On the contrary. Only the strong Hradecky prevented Josip Brekalo (47.) and Steffen (63.) twice 0: 2. Before Arnold crowned his strong performance with a free kick, Steffen hit the head and Pongracic headed in another Arnold free kick. Baumgartlinger’s hit was only result cosmetic.
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