Wolfsburg triumph in eight-goal thriller in Bremen
Bremen - VfL Wolfsburg came from behind three times on their way to a pulsating 5-3 win over SV Werder Bremen at the Weser-Stadion.
No pause for breath
Zlatko Junuvovic opened the scoring, but his effort was soon cancelled out by Daniel Caligiuri. Franco Di Santo had Bremen in front again, but the Wolves did not lie down and Maximilian Arnold levelled. An own goal from Vieirinha saw Bremen snatch a half-time lead, but a brace from Bas Dost and Caligiuri's second put Wolfsburg in command as they inflicted the first defeat of 2015 on Viktor Skripnik's men.
The game came to life immediately, with Leven Öztunali pulling the ball back for Junuzovic to fire the hosts ahead. Bremen's joy was short-lived, though, with Wolfsburg crowning their first attack of the game with the equaliser. Manuel Schäfer's low cross from the left was parried out by Raphael Wolf to the feet of Caligiuri, who skipped past the Bremen custodian and threaded his shot through Jannik Vestergaard's legs.
Öztunali was again the provider for the game's third with a cross from the right which was met with a sweet side-footed volley from Di Santo. There was respite, though, as Wolfsburg responded immediately once again. Kevin De Bruyne delivered his 13th assist of the season to tee up Arnold, who flicked the ball beyond Wolf's reach into the far corner.
Raining goals
The drama was just starting, though. Felix Kroos brought a sensational stop out of Benaglio, before sending in a shot which would have gone wide had Vieirinha not intervened at the near post, diverting the ball towards goal and over his own goal-line as he attempted to clear.
Davie Selke could have made it four just before half time, but he snapped his shot just wide of the far post, and the goalscoring continued unabated in the second 45 minutes. Dost got his name on the scoresheet twice in as many minutes as De Bruyne made it a hat-trick of assists, helping the Wolves take the lead for the first time in the match.
Dost provides
After netting his now customary goals – and taking him to a remarkable eight in his last three games – Dost then turned provider with a delicate lob over Wolf for Caligiuri to poke into the empty net as Wolfsburg turned the game on its head in the space of five minutes.
As if that was not enough, Andre Schürrle was sent on by Dieter Hecking to add even more firepower to his side's merciless attack. Some tired legs then started to take their toll and Dost was withdrawn as Wolfsburg took the points to move back to within eight points of FC Bayern, and ten clear of Borussia Mönchengladbach in third.
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