Wolfsburg (dpa) - VfL Wolfsburg has missed a great opportunity to maybe make a decisive difference in the race for the Europa League spots in the Bundesliga.
Against the direct competitor SC Freiburg, the Lower Saxony played only 2: 2 (2: 1) on Saturday after a 2-0 lead. Shortly before and shortly after the break, Freiburg's Lucas Höler (43th minute) and Roland Sallai (46th) equalized Wout Weghorst's two goals (14th / 27th / foul). After an hour, the guests even had a great chance of winning, but Wolfsburg's Kevin Mbabu cleared after a shot by Philipp Lienhart just before the goal line (61.).
Three games before the end of the season, the "Wolves" still have the best chance of moving back into the Europa League. Despite this disappointment, they remain in sixth place in the table, which means the direct route to Europe without the detour of the qualifiers. However, the lead over the table seventh TSG Hoffenheim and the table night Freiburg is only three and four points. If VfL had taken its lead over time, it would have surpassed its two competitors by five and seven points.
Striker Daniel Ginczek, who was stripped of two goals in the first half after using the video evidence, was also a big bad luck for the Wolfsburg team. In the 22nd minute referee Bastian Dankert, looking at his screen, not only noticed that Gincezk was offside on his first goal, but that there was also a foul by Freiburg's Nicolas Höfler in the penalty area. So he canceled the goal, but gave the penalty - and the transformed Weghorst (27th) to the seemingly safe 2: 0.
Again just a minute later, Gincezk seemed to have made everything clear with the 3-0, but again the video assistant signaled to the referee. This time the VfL striker had beheaded himself at the fingertips - the goal didn't count either.
That kept Freiburg in the game - and how! In the 33rd minute, the Hungarian Roland Sallai initially missed a great chance. But shortly before and shortly after the break, the sports club suddenly caught up with their two-goal deficit. Above all, the goal to 2-2 would not have been scored without great help from Wolfsburg, because defender Marin Pongracic simply kicked over the ball in the penalty area.
Shortly after the two goals, VfL had the chance to give a direct answer, but Weghorst (44th) and Josip Brekalo (52nd) missed two good opportunities. It was the last for the hosts. Wolfsburg was still the optically superior team despite the shock of the playful leadership. But they never came as close as 3: 2 to Freiburg with the big chance through Lienhart and another good opportunity for Nils Petersen (76.).
The fact remains that the "wolves" have not won in their own stadium since the Corona break. Three away wins are now opposed to two actual and this felt home defeat. In addition, the rest of the program with games in Mönchengladbach on Tuesday at Schalke 04 and against FC Bayern Munich is not easy.
With Freiburg, on the other hand, it is going well: First the victory against Gladbach, then the birthday and contract extension of coach Christian Streich - and now this success of morality. The fifth European Cup participation in the club's history remains possible.
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