“It’s a big weight off our shoulders with this win. Above all, I’m delighted for Paulinho, who always tries so hard and has now reaped the reward. We showed today that we can also offer a fight, not just play pretty,” said delighted captain Lukas Hradecky. Kerem Demirbay summarised succinctly: “We won it late but it was deserved.”
Head coach Gerardo Seoane made four changes from Thursday’s Europa League game against Atalanta. Odilon Kossounou came into the defence for Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who suffered a thigh injury against the Italians and will be out for some time. Robert Andrich, Karim Bellarabi and Sardar Azmoun were also new faces in the starting XI, replacing Piero Hincapie, Charles Aranguiz and Exequiel Palacios, who all dropped to the bench. It was January signing Azmoun’s first start for the club. As well as Fosu-Mensah, Leverkusen were also without Patrik Schick (recovery training), Florian Wirtz (ACL), Jeremie Frimpong and Andrey Lunev (both ankle injuries). The Werkself again played with a back three.
Wolfsburg has been a happy hunting ground for the Werkself of late, having remained unbeaten and picking up 13 of a possible 15 points from the last five visits. After a minute’s silence for former DFB president Egidius Braun, who passed away on Wednesday, referee Dr. Felix Brych got the game under way. The Wolves had the first chance when Jonas Wind headed harmlessly at Hradecky in the second minute, but the first opportunity of note fell to the visits when Mitchel Bakker sent Amine Adli away, but the Frenchman was denied by Pavao Pervan in goal. Kossounou later played in Moussa Diaby, but his attempted ball into the box was blocked by Sebastiaan Bornauw.
Those quick passes in behind the Wolfsburg defence looked the most likely way for the Werkself. Demirbay again used it to play in Diaby down the right, but his attempted ball to Azmoun was too hard. Almost immediately after, Adli had a golden chance after Demirbay’s lovely play, but he smashed the ball over the bar from the right – and a potentially offside position. Wolfsburg also managed two decent chances. Lukas Nmecha’s effort from a tight angle was well saved by Hradecky, who was then almost caught out by a Maximilian Arnold free-kick, but managed to tip it onto the bar.
Bayer 04 allowed the Wolves very little from open play but had to be alert from a number of set pieces. Leverkusen would look to counter but misplaced a number of passes, such as the one from Adli to Diaby in the 37th minute. The Werkself got one right five minutes before the break, though, when Bellarabi squared for Azmoun on the edge of the box, but the Iranian just missed the corner and the game remained goalless after 45 minutes.
Things were lively again after the restart. Bellarabi was unable to properly connect with a Diaby cross after a lengthy sprint as Leverkusen squandered a good chance. The same for Nmecha, who slipped as he ran at Hradecky following Max Kruse’s ball. Pervan was almost caught out by a Demirbay corner to the near post before Wolfsburg struck the woodwork, Wind’s low effort coming back off the post.
The Werkself started to change things up, with Hincapie on for Bakker. Diaby wasn’t expecting a ball into the middle from Azmoun, while Demirbay’s follow-up was held by Pervan. Lucas Alario and Aranguiz then came on for Azmoun and Bellarabi as Leverkusen switched to a back four, with Kossounou on the right. Adli cut inside from that flank and had an effort on his left foot, but Pervan was again in the way. Seoane made the most of his bench and sent on Daley Sinkgraven with Paulinho for Kossounou and Adli in the 80th minute. Demirbay picked up a yellow card shortly after and will be suspended for the next game against Hertha Berlin.
Luca Waldschmidt stumbled in a promising position before Paulinho finally got the Werkself celebrating as Aranguiz won the ball in his own half and played it forward to the Brazilian, who ran straight up the middle into the Wolfsburg box and surprised Pervan at his near post. Paulinho’s first goal of the season and he ran over to Seoane for a big embrace with four minutes remaining. There were another four added on at the end, allowing Paulinho – who had often made the wrong decision in recent games – to literally use his head this time, nodding Demirbay’s perfect cross back across goal and inside the post. It guaranteed a crucial three points for the Werkself, who strengthen their grip on third.
The Bundesliga now takes a week off for the international break. Bayer 04 return to action on Saturday, 2 April at home to Hertha (15:30 CEST).
Match stats:
Wolfsburg: Pervan – Lacroix, Bornauw, Brooks (Bialek 88') – Mbabu (Baku 75'), Schlager (Vranckx 75'), Arnold, Roussillon (Gerhardt 81') – L. Nmecha, Kruse – Wind (Waldschmidt 75')
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Kossounou (Sinkgraven 81'), Tah, Tapsoba – Bellarabi (Aranguiz 73'), Andrich, Demirbay, Bakker (Hincapie 65') – Adli (Paulinho 81'), Azmoun (Alario 73'), Diaby
Goals: 0-1 Paulinho (86'), 0-2 Paulinho (90'+2)
Referee: Dr. Felix Brych (Munich)
Yellow cards: Lacroix, Vranckx – Adli, Hincapie, Demirbay
Attendance: 16,554
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