Wout Weghorst on target as Wolfsburg remain unbeaten with 1-1 draw at Fortuna Düsseldorf
Wout Weghorst was on target for Wolfsburg as they came from behind to continue their unbeaten start to the season with an evenly contested 1-1 draw at Fortuna Düsseldorf on Friday night.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-1 Wolfsburg
Goals: 1-0 Gießelmann (16’), 1-1 Weghorst (29‘)
The visitors wasted no time in warming to proceedings and had a golden opportunity to take the lead just three minutes in but Zack Steffen saved superbly to deny Josip Brekalo and Max Arnold could only steer his follow-up wide. Happy to play on the counter, it was Fortuna who took the lead as Nico Gießelmann raced on to a loose ball before rifling home a thunderous effort to hand the hosts the lead with his first ever Bundesliga goal. Their lead didn’t last long, with Brekalo superbly going beyond Robin Bormuth with a flick round the corner that nutmegged the Düsseldorf defender before squaring to Weghorst, who made no mistake from eight yards.
The contest continued to enthrall after the break with the Wolves enjoying the bulk of possession and Fortuna looking to spring into action on the counter. But chances were hard to come by for both teams, who were evenly matched and eventually shared the spoils. The result ends Fortuna’s run of two successive defeats, while Wolfsburg move into second place for the time being and extend their unbeaten start to the season under new coach Oliver Glasner to four matches.
Match stats
- No goalkeeper in the Bundesliga has saved as many shots as Steffen this term (26). The American is 14 clear of next-best Alexander Nübel, Oliver Baumann and Florian Müller (all 11).
- Fortuna have still not suffered three consecutive defeats under coach Friedhelm Funkel since November 2018.
- Fortuna have been booked a league-high nine times so far this season. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg have just three yellow cards to their name.
- Croatia winger Brekalo has scored two and assisted two in his last three games for Wolfsburg.
- Brekalo last season recorded 15 nutmegs on oppositions players, with only Jadon Sancho completing more. The Wolves man has completed two already this season, including the one here that led to Wolfsburg’s first goal.
- The Wolves have never lost in nine competitive matches against Düsseldorf across the top two divisions of German football, winning five and drawing the other four.
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Line-ups
Düsseldorf: Steffen - Zimmermann, Ayhan (Adams 83’), Bormuth, Gießelmann - Bodzek, Baker - Thommy (Zimmer 73’), Fink (Karaman 72’), Kownacki - Hennings (c)
Unused subs: Kastenmeier, Suttner, Contento, Pledl, Ofori, Tekpetey
Out: Ampomah (flu), Barkok (shoulder), Hoffmann (flu), Morales (groin), Rensing (shoulder), Sobottka (groin), Stöger (cruciate ligament), Wolf (inner ear)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel
Wolfsburg: Pervan - Knoche, Guilavogui (c), Tisserand - William, Gerhardt, Arnold, Roussillon - Mehmedi (Klaus 69’), Weghorst, Brekalo (Victor 90')
Unused subs: Menzel, Bruma, Mbabu, Steffen, Malli, Rexhbecaj, Nmecha
Out: Brooks (hamstring), Camacho (ankle), Casteels (shin), Ginczek (back), Otavio (match fitness), Schlager (broken ankle)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
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