Second-half strikes help Wolfsburg see off PSV
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Article summary
Wolfsburg 2-0 PSV Eindhoven
Second-half goals from Bas Dost and Max Kruse earned a second Wolfsburg home win to take the German club clear at the top of Group B.
Article top media content
Article body
- Wolfsburg go top of Group B with defeat of PSV Eindhoven
- Bas Dost fires home side in front (46)
- Max Kruse's glancing header doubles advantage (57)
- Home goalkeeper Diego Benaglio saves Jürgen Locadia's 90th-minute penalty
- The sides meet again at PSV Stadion on 3 November
Wolfsburg's UEFA Champions League challenge continued to gather pace as second-half strikes from Bas Dost and Max Kruse earned a win against PSV Eindhoven that took the German club top of Group B.
With all four teams in the section starting the evening on three points, a tight contest might have been anticipated but Wolfsburg nearly belied that with barely a minute gone. Josuha Guilavogui had been brought in to shore up the midfield but embarked on a powerful run forward, Dost nearly forcing in his low cross at the near post.
PSV goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet then saved from Daniel Caligiuri and Julian Draxler in quick succession as the Bundesliga side continued to press for an early breakthrough. When this failed to materialise, the initial ardour cooled – yet both sides might have broken the deadlock in the closing stages of the opening period.
First, Dost was played in by Caligiuri down the left but, with only Zoet to beat, steered his shot well wide. Moments later, Adam Maher advanced unmarked into the Wolfsburg area to meet Simon Poulsen's left-wing cross – this time it was a headed attempt, again it flew past the post.
After 45 minutes of stalemate, came the checkmate: the opening goal arrived less than 60 seconds into the second period. Zoet sprang to his left to push out Guilavogui's well-struck effort, but the rebound fell perfectly for Dost to sweep in.
Wolfsburg kept coming and were rewarded again shortly before the hour. Once more Zoet made a fine save, this time from Draxler; Caligiuri dashed to retrieve the loose ball and delivered a perfect cross for Kruse to glance inside the far post with his head.
PSV did not allow heads to drop, but when Luuk De Jong steered a header straight at Diego Benaglio, their hopes of salvaging something had gone. They might have had a consolation as Benaglio fouled Jürgen Locadia in the 90th minute, but the goalkeeper atoned by diving to his right to block the substitute's spot kick.
Reaction:
Dieter Hecking, Wolfsburg coach
I'm very proud. We showed patience and played maturely – this is how you have to play in the Champions League. However, I'm a bit upset that we gave Eindhoven the chance of a comeback at the end [with a penalty that Diego Benaglio saved].
We are still learning in this competition and have to stay focused for 90 minutes and more, but we also know that we have the quality to win. If we do this in the next three matches, we're confident of going through to the next round. We are a good home team – that we definitely know – and I'm confident enough to say we can win in Eindhoven.
Phillip Cocu, PSV coach
We played very well in the first half and had good organisation in the team. It's a pity we didn't take one of our good chances to score. I have to compliment my team on their attitude and not giving up, even after conceding two goals. Who knows what might have happened if we had scored the penalty? Wolfsburg showed their quality, but we did not convert our chances.