bundesliga

Dortmund undefeated but frustrated by Wolfsburg

18.02.2024

Borussia Dortmund remain undefeated in 2024 but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Wolfsburg, with Niclas Füllkrug's early opener cancelled out by Yannick Gerhardt in the second half.

Wolfsburg 1-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Füllkrug 8', 1-1 Gerhardt 64'

Wolfsburg had the first chance of the afternoon when Kevin Behrens forced Gregor Kobel into a diving save from the edge of the box, with Lovro Majer then firing wide on the rebound. It was Dortmund who took the lead, though. Marcel Sabitzer switched play to Marco Reus who volleyed across goal, and although Kobel's opposite number Koen Casteels got a hand to it, Füllkrug was on hand to tap home his 11th goal of the season. Long-time former BVB captain Reus fired a free-kick over the bar midway through the half, before Kevin Paredes was inches away from connecting with a Mattias Svanberg cross at the other end. Kobel had to punch a high cross into his box late in the half before an intricate passing move from his side came to nothing. Behrens then hit his post and the outside side-netting on the stroke of half-time, before Martin Petersen's whistle for the break went with the visitors' lead somehow intact.

Edin Terzić's half-time team talk no doubt ringing in their ears, Dortmund started the second half brightly with Sabitzer firing an early tester at Casteels that the Wolfsburg No.1 tipped over the bar. The Wolves soon regained control, though, and Ridle Baku was the next to try his luck with a deflected effort that Kobel was able to clear. Gerhard restored parity just post the hour mark, heading home after a Maximilian Arnold corner had forced a penalty-box scramble. Terzić tried to kickstart Dortmund late in the game, sending Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Youssoufa Moukoko on for Jadon Sancho and Füllkrug respectively, but Wolfsburg continued to look the more incisive, accepting Dortmund's superior possession and looking to hit on the counter. Neither could find another goal, though, and it ended 1-1.

Match stats

Füllkrug's 11th goal of the campaign was also his sixth since the turn of the year. No player has scored more in 2024.
With 40 points, Dortmund came into this game with only three fewer than at the same stage last season. They missed out on the title on the final day in 2022/23.
Die Schwarzgelben have conceded just two goals in the Rückrunde - the other was an own goal from Nico Schlotterbeck against Bochum on Matchday 19.
This was the first time in five meetings with the current top four that Wolfsburg have avoided defeat this season.
The Wolves have lost 10 of their last 12 Bundesliga meetings with Dortmund. The one exception over the last six years was their 2-0 home win last season.
Dortmund had 62 per cent of possession and had 12 shots at goal to Wolfsburg's nine.

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Watch: Gregor Kobel on 'tough' game

Teams

Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Lacroix, Jenz, Mæhle - Majer, Svanberg (Gerhardt 46'), Arnold (c), Paredes - Behrens (L. Nmecha 77'), Wind (Sarr 88')
Unused subs: Pervan, Fischer, Zesiger, Vranckx, Černý, Wimmer
Out: Rogério (muscular), Tomás (elbow)
Coach: Niko Kovač

Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen - Sabitzer, Can (c) - Sancho (Bynoe-Gittens 79'), Reus (Özcan 79'), Brandt - Füllkrug (Moukoko 85')
Unused subs: Meyer, Morey, Hummels, Wolf, Malen, Bamba
Out: Adeyemi (muscular), Bensebaini (ill), Haller (ankle), F. Nmecha (hip)
Coach: Edin Terzić

Watch: Edin Terzić frustrated with Wolfsburg draw