Paderborn promoted to the Bundesliga as Wolfsburg relegated
Paderborn will play Bundesliga football next season after winning the play-off to send Wolfsburg down to the second tier of German football.
Pejčinović strikes early
With the tie delicately poised after a goalless first leg in Wolfburg, the Wolves made the perfect start, taking the lead after just three minutes. Adam Daghim was played in behind the Paderborn defence on the left side of the box and pulled a low cross back towards the edge of the area, where Dženan Pejčinović swept the ball into the bottom corner.
Mæhle's red card changes the tie
The early goal appeared to have set Wolfsburg on course for survival, but the tie turned dramatically in the 14th minute. Joakim Mæhle, who had already been booked in the 11th minute following a flashpoint near the touchline that also saw Filip Bilbija and Wolfsburg goalkeeper Pavao Pervan receive yellow cards, went in recklessly on Mattes Hansen with an open-footed challenge and was shown a second yellow card. The Dane was dismissed, and Wolfsburg were reduced to 10 men with over 75 minutes still to play.
Bilbija levels with a header
With Wolfsburg pinned back and defending deep, Paderborn piled on the pressure and were rewarded in the 38th minute. A long throw from the right by Laurin Curda was flicked on at the near post by Calvin Brackelmann, and Bilbija was waiting at the back post to stoop low and head the ball over the line from close range. The equaliser was thoroughly deserved, and the momentum had shifted firmly in Paderborn's favour.
Goalkeeper Kamil Grabara had also been called into action on several occasions before the break, including a fine save from Santiago Castaneda in the 35th minute. The sides went in level at 1-1 at the interval.
Paderborn dominate but cannot find a winner
The second half was almost entirely one-way traffic. Paderborn, buoyed by their home crowd and numerical advantage, created chance after chance but were repeatedly denied. Sebastian Klaas struck the left post in the 61st minute with a shot from the edge of the box. Stefano Marino headed narrowly wide from a superb Calvin Brackelmann cross in the 56th minute.
In stoppage time, substitute Sven Michel headed against the left post from a Curda cross. Despite 19 corners and 39 shots, the hosts could not find a breakthrough in normal time, and the match went to extra time.
Curda fires Paderborn into the Bundesliga
Extra time began with Paderborn continuing to press, and Grabara produced another excellent save from Götze in the 92nd minute. Wolfsburg brought on Jesper Lindström and Jonas Wind at the start of extra time in a bid to find an equaliser, while Paderborn replaced Mika Baur with Nick Bätzner. The decisive moment arrived in the 100th minute. Michel delivered a cross from the left flank, and Curda was perfectly positioned at the back post to volley the ball into the far corner. Paderborn were in front for the first time in the tie.
In the second half of extra time, Wolfsburg threw on Mohamed Amoura and Kento Shiogai, but goalkeeper Dennis Seimen made a crucial save from Shiogai in the 120th minute to preserve the lead. Lindström's last-gasp effort from the edge of the box flew narrowly wide as Paderborn secured a third Bundesliga promotion.
Man of the Match: Filip Bilbija
Bilbija was voted Man of the Match with 41 per cent of the votes. The Paderborn forward scored the crucial equaliser in the 38th minute and led the line tirelessly throughout, finishing as the outfield player with the most shots (5) and covering 15.5 km — the highest distance of any Paderborn player. His relentless pressing and work rate were central to Paderborn's dominance.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Paderborn 3.64 - Wolfsburg 0.50
Fastest player: Adam Daghim (WOB), 35.3 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Dženan Pejčinović (WOB), 13 percent
Most pressed player: Laurin Curda (SCP), 16 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Vinicius Souza (WOB), +2.27
