VfL Wolfsburg narrowly qualified for the second round of the DFB-Pokal after a dramatic evening in Berlin. On Monday, the Lower Saxony side needed a penalty shootout to beat fourth-tier VSG Altglienicke 6-5, following a 3-3 draw after extra time.
The shootout turned into a nerve-wracking affair. For Wolfsburg, Fabian Reese missed first, with his shot saved by VSG keeper Luis Zwick. Wolfsburg goalkeeper Jakub Zielinski then kept his team alive by stopping attempts from Sven Sonnenberg and Mehmet Ibrahimi. Kilian Fischer finally converted the decisive spot-kick. Head coach Tobias Strobl was relieved after the final whistle. "I've never experienced anything like it," Strobl said in an ARD interview. "The evening has already cost a hair or two."
The team started the away match lacking concentration. As early as the sixth minute, Jonas Nietfeld capitalized on a cross from Lennart Czyborra to put VSG ahead 1-0. Wolfsburg, who started new signing Alexander Bernhardsson, controlled possession but was repeatedly denied by goalkeeper Zwick. He made saves against shots from Muhammed Damar and Reese, among others. The team went into halftime trailing.
Maximilian Arnold, who came on at halftime, was Wolfsburg's key man. In the 55th minute, he scored the 1-1 equalizer with a long-range effort from about 30 meters. After a grave error by goalkeeper Zielinski led to Altglienicke's 2-1, Arnold struck again. In the 83rd minute, he curled a free-kick over the wall to make it 2-2. In extra time, Wolfsburg fell behind once more before Hauke Wahl leveled at 3-3 in the 117th minute, forcing the penalty decider.
The Bundesliga relegated side remains in the competition and can look forward to the second-round draw on September 5th. However, the performance revealed clear weaknesses that need addressing ahead of upcoming tasks in the 2. Bundesliga. The current standings and upcoming fixtures are available online. The defense, in particular, will be a topic for discussion, as seen in the overview of the squad. The focus now shifts to the league, where every match is vital for the desired promotion.
