Malli at the double as Wolfsburg end drawing sequence against out-of-form Freiburg

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Wolfsburg have a first Bundesliga victory under coach Martin Schmidt after goals from Yannick Gerhardt and a Yunus Malli brace helped to pile more away-day misery on Freiburg.

Wolfsburg 3-1 Freiburg

Goals: 1-0 Gerhardt (3'), 2-0 Malli (29'), 2-1 Kapustka (68'), 3-1 Malli (70')

Remarkably, the Wolves had drawn seven consecutive top-flight encounters prior to this meeting and were keen to avoid what would have been a new Bundesliga record for stalemates. To that end, the hosts were given the perfect start when Gerhardt bundled home in the third minute following Daniel Didavi’s initial touch. Seeking a first top-flight victory at the Volkswagen Arena this season, things got even better for the 2009 champions shortly before the half-hour mark when Malli stroked in Didavi’s accurate centre.   

Without an away win all season, Freiburg were determined to hit back after the break, and following their best spell of the game, Bartosz Kapustka showed his team the way, the Poland international beating three opponents before firing past goalkeeper Koen Casteels. The visitors’ fightback was almost immediately cut short, however, with Wolfsburg restoring their two-goal cushion minutes later thanks to Malli’s neat finish following a Gerhardt cross.

Match stats

    Yunus Malli has now scored in his last three games against Freiburg. Malli registered his first double in a Wolfsburg shirt. He previously hit three doubles for Mainz. Gerhardt's third-minute opener was the Wolves' quickest goal in 2017. Kapustka's strike was Freiburg's first away goal in 494 minutes (almost three months). Wolfsburg's starting XI had an average age of 26.9, their oldest line-up this season.Freiburg are yet to win on the road this term.

Watch: Wolfsburg's Paul Verhaegh discusses the Wolves' long-overdue victory

Line-ups

Wolfsburg: Casteels – Verhaegh, Knoche, Brooks, Tisserand – Guilavogi, Arnold – Malli (Bazor 90+4'), Didavi (Origi 87'), Arnold – Gomez (c)
Coach: Martin Schmidt

Freiburg: Schwolow - Koch, Schuster (Terrazzino 80'), Kempf - Stenzel, Günter - Höfler - Kath (Ravet 77') - Haberer, Guede (Kapustka 53') - Petersen
Coach: Christian Streich

As it happened

Click here for the Wolfsburg vs. Freiburg Match Centre!