Hiroshi Kiyotake (r.) scored his first goal of the season to help Hannover to a point at Wolfsburg - © © gettyimages / Matthias Kern
Hiroshi Kiyotake (r.) scored his first goal of the season to help Hannover to a point at Wolfsburg - © © gettyimages / Matthias Kern

Hannover thwart lacklustre Wolfsburg

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Wolfsburg - Hannover 96 earned only their second point of the campaign after fighting back to claim a 1-1 draw at VfL Wolfsburg on Matchday 7.

VFL WOLFSBURG 1-1 HANNOVER 96

Goals: 1-0 Dost (40’), 1-1 Kiyotake (57’)

Wolfsburg recalled Andre Schürrle to their starting line-up in place of the injured Luiz Gustavo, but the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner was largely uninvolved for much of the opening half. Instead it was his fellow forwards that carried the home side’s biggest threat, and after Max Kruse forced a save with a half-volley, Bas Dost opened the scoring with a trademark header after a well-timed charge into the box.

Rooted to the foot of the table going into the game, the Reds looked dejected in the Lower Saxony sunshine, but they rallied well after the restart and found themselves deservedly level when Hiroshi Kiyotake showed great agility to steer a finish in off the underside of the crossbar. Visiting keeper Ron-Robert Zieler was grateful to Maximilian Arnold for dragging a volley wide at the death, but this was a hard-earned result for Michael Frontzeck’s men.

Man of the match

After recording his first assist of the season in midweek, Kiyotake announced himself with a superbly-taken finish to relieve some of the pressure on Hannover, who had come into the game with one point from six games, their worst ever start to a Bundesliga season.

Talking point

Despite flirting with relegation last term and struggling in 2015/16, Hannover appear to enjoy playing Wolfsburg, having now avoided defeat on their last four trips to the Volkswagen Arena. Encouragingly, Frontzeck’s charges have also displayed their fighting sprit as they continue to search for a first win of the season.

Match stats

    Wolfsburg are now unbeaten in 26 league games at home, a run stretching back to the 2013/14 season.Kiyotake scored his first goal of the season in his 100th Bundesliga appearance. It was also his 13th goal in the top flight.Bas Dost has scored in every one of Wolfsburg’s home games this season (four times in total) but is yet to find the net on the road.

Line-ups

Wolfsburg: Benaglio - Träsch, (Jung, 80’), Naldo, Dante, R. Rodriguez - Guilavogui - Caligiuri, Kruse, Draxler (Arnold, 58’), Schürrle (Bendtner, 75’) - Dost 

Hannover: Zieler – Sorg, Marcelo, Schulz, Albornoz – Schmiedebach, Sane, Andreasen (Klaus, 66’), Karaman – Kiyotake (Felipe, 82’) – Sobiech (Erdinc, 73’)