Renato Steffen scored twice and Jerome Roussillon once to cancel out Hendrik Weydandt’s opener for Hannover as Wolfsburg took three points, and regional bragging rights, with a 3-1 win on Saturday.

Wolfsburg 3-1 Hannover

Goals: 0-1 Weydandt (30’), 1-1 Steffen (32’), 2-1 Steffen (71’), 3-1 Roussilllon (78’)

Wolfsburg welcomed Hannover to the Volkswagen Arena with a beautiful 20-degree afternoon greeting the Lower Saxony rivals, but the sun was not shining on Koen Casteels, who pulled up injured in the warm-up and was replaced by Pavao Pervan in the home goal. Roussillon found Wout Weghorst unmarked at the 96ers’ back post early on, but the big Dutchman was uncharacteristically profligate, heading wide with the goal at his mercy. Hannover duly drew first blood, Linton Maina picking possession on the counter and slipping a stunning pass through to Weydandt, who steered home his fifth Bundesliga goal. Wolfsburg returned fire soon after, though, when Steffen met Josuha Guilavogui’s cross and looped the ball beyond Michael Esser with a fine header.

Hannover could have retaken the lead early in the second half, but Weydandt missed the chance to complete his brace having been found unmarked in the box by Genki Haraguchi. Weghorst then had a chance of his own, hitting the ball well on the turn, but Esser was well positioned to make the save. There was little the ‘keeper could do about Wolfsburg’s second, though. Daniel Ginczek, a second-half substitute for Josip Brekalo, slipped the ball into Steffen and the Switzerland international, having sprung the offside trap, coolly slotted home. Roussillon put the game beyond doubt, drilling a low shot into the visiting goal after a selfless lay-off from Yunus Malli.

Match stats

• Wolfsburg have lost none of the 20 Bundesliga matches in which they’ve opened the scoring against Hannover (W15, D5).
• Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are now the only sides Wolfsburg have failed to pick up points against this season.
• Steffen scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season, and his first since February’s 3-3 draw with Freiburg.
• Weydandt, 23, had never played top-flight football before this season. He is now Hannover’s top scorer with five goals.
• This was Hannover’s first defeat in six visits to Wolfsburg.

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Line-ups

Wolfsburg: Pervan – William, Knoche, Brooks, Roussillon – Steffen (Malli 77'), Guilavogui (c), Rexhbecaj – Mehmedi (Klaus 85') – Weghorst, Brekalo (Ginczek 62')
Unused subs: Vehaegh, Udukhai, Tisserand,
Out: Arnold (suspended), Camacho (ankle), Casteels (unconfirmed), Gerhardt (knee)
Coach: Bruno Labbadia

Hannover: Esser – Korb, Anton, Wimmer – Sorg, Bakalorz (c) (Soto 79'), Schwegler, Haraguchi – Maina – Müller (Muslija 70'), Weydandt
Unused subs: Sahin-Radlinger, Felipe, Fossum, Ostrzolek, Bech
Out: Akpoguma (shoulder), Albornoz (ankle), Bebou (thigh), Füllkrug (knee), Hübers (knee), Sarenren Bazee (shin), Wood (kidney problems)
Coach: Thomas Doll

About the clubs

VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena

Hannover 96

Heinz von Heiden Arena