Wolfsburg earn Europa League berth with club-record win over Augsburg
Wout Weghorst scored a hat-trick as Wolfsburg ran riot against Augsburg on the final day of 2018/19, with a 8-1 win securing their place in the UEFA Europa League group stage next season.
Wolfsburg 8-1 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Weghorst (21'), 2-0 Weghorst (37'), 3-0 Knoche (41'), 4-0 Weghorst (55'), 5-0 Ginczek (57'), 6-0 Rexhbecaj (60'), 6-1 Schieber (81'), 7-1 Brekalo (85'), 8-1 Danso (o.g. 89')
After Bruno Labbadia was given a warm send-off prior to kick-off, his Wolfsburg team showed they wanted to see him off with a win and a place in Europe, taking the lead after just 20 minutes. William's cross was fumbled by Gregor Kobel and Wout Weghorst reacted the quickest to score his 15th of the season, his ninth in 2019. Number 10 for the calendar year followed when the Dutch forward volleyed in Admir Mehmedi's cross to cement the Wolves' place in Europe next season. There were few doubts about Wolfsburg's win after Robin Knoche met Maximilian Arnold's corner to make it three just before half-time.
Weghorst completed his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half, blasting the ball unstoppably into the top right-hand corner from Elvis Rexhbecaj's pass, before Daniel Ginczek added a fifth - he was on hand to tuck the ball in after Yannick Gerhardt's effort came back off the post. Rexhbecaj then got in on the act, curling in Wolfsburg's sixth as they ran riot against a hapless Augsburg. Julian Schieber grabbed a late consolation for the Bavarians, but Wolfsburg were not done yet, Josip Brekalo adding a seventh and a Kevin Danso own goal sealing their return to the Europa League next season in style.
Match stats
- Wolfsburg's win was their 16th of the season - as many as in their previous two campaigns combined.
- Weghorst has scored 17 goals this season, including 11 since the winter break, with three braces and two hat-tricks.
- Knoche's third goal of the season – all in 2019 – equals his best-ever single-season haul from 2013/14.
- The last time Wolfsburg scored seven in a single game was in November 1998 in a 7-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach; 8-1 is a new club record.
- Seventy-one goals conceded is an unwanted club-record high for Augsburg.
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Line-ups
Wolfsburg: Pervan – William, Knoche, Tisserand, Roussillon (Brekalo 69') – Gerhardt, Arnold (c), Rexhbecaj (Klaus 81') – Mehmedi (Malli 56') – Ginczek, Weghorst
Unused subs: Menzel, Uduokhai, Jung, Franke
Out: Brooks (knee), Camacho (ankle), Casteels (thigh), Guilavogui (suspended)
Coach: Bruno Labbadia
Augsburg: Kobel – Asta, Gouweleeuw (Danso 46'), Oxford, Janker (Moravek 46'), Stafylidis – Schmid, Baier (c) – Hahn, Gregoritsch, Ji (Schieber 60') – Richter
Unused subs: Luthe, Rösch, Russo, Teigl
Out: Cordova (groin), Finnbogason (calf), Framberger (cruciate ligament), Giefer (ankle), Götze (hip), Jensen (ankle), Khedira (groin), Max (concussion)
Coach: Martin Schmidt
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