VfL Wolfsburg is stuck in mediocrity in the Bundesliga and is increasingly losing touch with the European places. Coach Niko Kovac’s team couldn’t get past a 1-1 (1-1) draw at 1. FC Heidenheim at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga on Saturday and remains behind the strong newcomers in the table. In front of 15,000 spectators in the sold-out stadium, a goal from Vaclav Cerny (7th minute) was not enough for the victory VfL longed for.
Heidenheim, on the other hand, has scored eleven points from the last five games and, as a league debutant, is heading for a confident stay in the league. An own goal from Moritz Jenz (45th + 2) brought Frank Schmidt’s team equalizer in sub-zero temperatures. In the fifth competitive duel with Wolfsburg, Heidenheim did not leave the field as a loser for the first time.
“We don’t need to talk about Europe now. We all know that we are four or five points short. We just have to get more points,” said Kovac on Sky.
The game began – like at some other Bundesliga locations – with protests against the German Football League and its investor plans. At first both groups of fans were silent, then coins flew into Koen Casteels’ penalty area. Afterwards there were chants of “Shitty DFL”. When the supporters had finished protesting, the guests had already provided the first sporting highlight. Goalscorer Cerny and striker Jonas Wind combined impressively with two lifts, Cerny finished to take the early lead. The winger, who was often ignored before Christmas, had already scored the first goal in the 1-1 draw in Mainz the previous week. Wind, on the other hand, remains a guarantee, the assist was his 14th scorer point this season.
Heidenheim got better as a result. But things only became dangerous when Jan-Niklas Beste sent standards or crosses. This was also the case in the 21st minute, when Tim Kleindienst headed after a cross from Beste and Jan Schöppner then dusted it off. The goal music sounded, the scorer was cheered by the stadium announcer and the fans – until almost two minutes later the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) canceled the goal because it was offside. Even the Wolfsburg residents who benefited in this case chanted: “You are destroying our sport.”
The hosts still had their moments, but didn’t take advantage of them after Beste’s mostly precise crosses. Little came of the game until Jenz, who had been strong until then, scored an own goal at the half-time whistle. The central defender cleverly deflected a low cross from Heidenheim’s Omar Traoré and Wolfsburg’s Casteels was beaten. The draw at the break was fair.
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After the change it got loud – from the stands. Wolfsburg’s fans not only showed off their green Bengalos, but also shot some New Year’s Eve firecrackers towards the lawn. Goalkeeper Casteels preferred to take a few steps away from his own corner. About 15 minutes later, Heidenheim celebrated again too early. Kleindienst’s supposed 2-1 was called back after checking.
