Football United

Nürnberg remains the bogey team of the Wolves. On Saturday afternoon, coach Holger Fach’s side could only draw 1-1 in the VOLKSWAGEN ARENA on Saturday afternoon, in round 5 of the Bundesliga. Diego Klimowicz put the home side ahead on 15 minutes, heading in a fine cross by Andres D’Alessandro. Shortly before the end however, any hopes of landing what would have been the second league win of the season were dashed as Markus Schroth equalised for the visiting side, coached by the former Wolves coach Wolfgang Wolf.

Dangerous visitors
Nürnberg began the round 5 game showing little respect for the home side. The visitors attacked the Wolves from the off and put them on the back foot right away. During that period, Nürnberg had two good chances which were missed by Banovic (12.) and Paulus (13.).

The Wolves go in front
On 15 minutes the home crowd had something to cheer about. As D’Alessandro was given far too much room down the left wing. The little Argentinean crossed into the visitor’s box, where his compatriot Diego Klimowicz was waiting to head the ball into the bottom left hand corner, giving the Wolves the lead.

Close shaves
Nürnberg tried to come back right asway, but missed a further two excellent opportunities within the following 20 minutes. Firstly the Wolfsburg keeper Simon Jentzsch showed his class, saving well from Chedli, then Vittek blasted wide from inside the area as it looked easier to score. The Wolves defence improved after those shocks and began to get a grip on the Nürnberg attacks, while at the same time rarely threatening the Nürnberg goal.

Lucky keeper
The game stagnated towards the end of the first half, but only until Nürnberg’s Swiss born midfielder Cantaluppi put a free kick from the edge of the area onto the Wolfsburg crossbar with Jentzsch well beaten. Luckily for coach Holger Fach and his side, the ball was cleared as it came back off the bar.Moments later, the referee blew for half time.

Klimo unlucky
The Wolves took a defensive approach at the start of the second half, which gave the former Wolfsburg coach Wolfgang Wolf’s side more room. Althouth they were the busier side at the time, Nürnberg could not capitalise on that fact. The home side always looked dangerous on the counter attack, and Pinola had to head off the line on 56 minutes, as the Nürnberg goalie Schäfer punched a clearance into the path of Klimowicz who turned and let fly with a shot, only to watch it be cleared well by the Nürnberg player positioned on the goal line.

Jentzsch under pressure
Nürnberg fought back well and were unfortunate not to draw level, as Kießling found himself one on one with Jentzsch twice. He pulled both efforts wide (67./71.). On 75 minutes, the Wolves keeper fisted away a free kick by Pinola at the last moment, and a minute later, the visiting side had a double chance. Kießling fired in a shot from the edge of the area which Jentzsch did well to save, Lense missed the rebound by blasting it over the bar.

Nürnberg strikes back
It took until the 83rd minute fort he home side to threaten again, as D’Alessandro tried to curl a shot around Schäfer in the Nürnberg goal. The keeper did well to turn the shot around a post for a corner. Nürnberg was running out of time and decided to throw caution to the wind and go for all out attack, which paid off. Two minutes from time, a cross by Sven Müller reached Kießling who somehow managed to pass the ball on to Schroth in the middle of a cluster of Wolves players, from where he fired home to give the visitors a well deserved point.

For the Wolves a point meant that they have drawn three of their opening five games. For Nürnberg who were without their star striker Marek Mintal, it was a job well done, and Wolfgang Wolf and his side went home happy with a share of the spoils.

WOLFSBURG: Jentzsch; Alex (Makiadi, 82'), Quiroga, Hofland, Neziri (Schnoor, 73'); Sarpei; Karhan, Tskitishvili; D'Alessandro; Menseguez (Marlet, 64'), Klimowicz

Nürnberg: Schäfer; Lense, Paulus, Wolf, Pinola; Cantaluppi, Polak; Chedli (S. Müller, 56'), Banovic (Daun, 67'); Kießling, Vittek (Schroth, 46')

GOALS: 1-0, Klimowicz (15'); 1-1, Schroth (88')

BUNDESLIGA

Pos. Team Pld Pts
1. Bayern 5 15
2. Bremen 5 13
3. Hamburg 5 11
4. Schalke 5 9
5. Köln 5 9
...
11. Wolfsburg 5 6

Source: vfl-woflsburg.de