VfL Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach: Final Score 3-1, both teams miss out on Champions League

Both teams opened the match somewhat cautiously, knowing they needing a win to get to the Champions League but not wanting to give the opposition a chance to go ahead. Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the 30th minute, beating Diego Benaglio to his far post after beating the offside trap and finding himself in a lot of space on the left side. Six minutes later, De Bruyne made a slaloming run through three Gladbach defenders and was brought down by Harvard Nordveit about a yard outside the area, resulting in a free kick and a yellow card for the defensive midfielder. Naldo lined up over the ball but did not strike it, instead it was Ivan Perišić. The Croatian hit the bar from the dead ball, but it was cleared following a scramble in front of goal.

With just shy of 40 minutes played Max Kruse had the best first-half chance for Gladbach when he found himself one-on-one with Benaglio, but his effort was saved by the Wolfsburg keeper to preserve the lead. Right at the end of the first half, Naldo had a headed effort saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen from a corner, and Die Wolfe took the 1-0 lead to half.

Lucien Favre brought Oscar Wendt on for Álvaro Domínguez at left back at the start of the second half. The hard work of Ivica Olić gave the home side a great chance on which they were unable to capitalise seven minutes into the second period. Tracking a ball down to the byline, Olić slid and saved it, then played it to Perišić who shot, but ter Stegen was able to get enough on the ball to deflect it into his crossbar which bounced into the far post but rebounded away.

Christoph Kramer levelled it in the 65th minute, smashing home after Raffael played a superb ground cross just out of reach of Benaglio, and there was nothing he could do to prevent Kramer’s effort from finding the back of the net.

That scoreline didn’t hold for long, as Perišić was able to make the most of a ter Stegen mistake. Naldo blasted a shot from a free kick which took a bounce right in front of ter Stegen, who wasn’t able to hold on. It popped free and Perišić was able to get his head on the ball and put his team back in the lead.

Robin Knoche settled it in the 82nd minute with his third goal of the season, rising to power a corner past ter Stegen and make it 3-1.

Since Leverkusen were able to hang on, Wolfsburg finish fifth, just a point back, but will join sixth place finishers Gladbach in the Europa League next season.

VfL: Benaglio, Träsch, Naldo, Knoche, Rodriguez; Arnold, Luiz Gustavo; Vierinha (Caligiuri 70’), De Bruyne (Schäfer 90’), Perisić (Polák 85’); Olić

Goals: De Bruyne (30’), Perišić (64’), Knoche (81’)

BMG: ter Stegen, Korb, Stranzl, Jantschke, Domínguez (Wendt 46’); Herrmann, Nordveit (Xhaka 69’), Kramer, Arango (Hrgota 73’); Kruse, Raffael

Goals: Kramer (64’)