bundesliga

Unbeaten Freiburg pile misery on Wolfsburg with Philipp Lienhart and Lucas Höler goals

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Freiburg climbed to third in the table with Philipp Lienhart and Lucas Höler striking to earn them a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg, extending their unbeaten streak to nine this season and inflicting a fourth straight league defeat on the Wolves.

Wolfsburg 0-2 Freiburg
Goals: 0-1 Lienhart 27', 0-2 Höler 68' (assist: Günter)

The contrasting confidence levels, with Freiburg the only remaining unbeaten team in the Bundesliga and Wolfsburg seeking a first win in seven attempts, were evident in the early exchanges as the guests were first to put their foot on the ball. There was more urgency in Wolfsburg's game, though, and they carved out the first chances with their front three of Renato Steffen, Lukas Nmecha and Ridle Baku combining well. A foul by Josuha Guilavogui had worse consequences than just the yellow card the Wolfsburg midfielder received as Vincenzo Grifo's effort was only parried by Koen Casteels to Lienhart, who converted from close range and saw the goal confirmed after a VAR check for possible offside.

Wolfsburg's already dented confidence suffered another setback and Mark van Bommel tried to inject more strength to their attack with Dodi Lukebakio sent on for Guilavogui. His team continued to ask most of the questions, but just like in the first half, they were struck by a sucker punch with Höler converting the guests' first chance since the break. Christian Günter did the hard work and teed up his teammate for an unstoppable finish. Wolfsburg's heads dropped even lower with a fourth straight Bundesliga defeat seeming inevitable. Nmecha and Lukebakio both had chances to grab them a lifeline, but it was not to be for the Wolves, who fell to another defeat.

Match stats

  • Maximilian Arnold overtook Diego Benaglio at the top of the club's all-time appearance chart by making his 260th Bundesliga game for Wolfsburg.
  • You have to go back nine years for the last time Wolfsburg lost three Bundesliga games in a row.
  • Maxence Lacroix is the 11th fastest player in the Bundesliga this season with a top speed of 21.83mph.
  • Freiburg are still the only Bundesliga team yet to lose this term, while 19 points from the first nine games is a new club record.
  • Jeong Woo-yeong and Höler are the club's joint leading scorers in 2021/22 with three goals, one more than Grifo.
  • Christian Streich's side have the best defensive record in the league so far with just six goals conceded, two fewer than leaders Bayern Munich.

Line-ups

Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks (Bornauw 88'), Otavio (Philipp 56') - Guilavogui (Lukebakio 56'), Arnold - Baku, Vranckx, Steffen (F. Nmecha 80') - L. Nmecha
Unused subs: Pervan, van de Ven, Gerhardt, Ginczek, Lang
Out: 
Bialek (knee), Mehmedi (muscular), Schlager (knee), William (knee), Waldschmidt (thigh), Weghorst (not included)
Coach: Mark van Bommel 

Freiburg: Flekken - Gulde (Schade 69'), Lienhart, N. Schlotterbeck - Kübler (Haberer 87'), Eggestein, Höfler, Günter (c) - Jeong (Demirovic 78'), Höler (Petersen 78'), Grifo (Sildillia 87')
Unused subs: Uphoff, Heintz, K. Schlotterbeck, Weißhaupt
Out:
Sallai (knee), Schmid (match fitness)
Coach: Christian Streich