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Leipzig Cup victory over Wolfsburg: slipped out

2021-03-03T22:37:27.629Z


He had a huge chance to take the lead. But Wolfsburg's Wout Weghorst lost his position on his penalty - and missed. It was only because of him that VfL did not fail. There was also a strong opponent.


Icon: enlarge

Wolfsburg's Wout Weghorst at the moment of the penalty kick

Photo: 

ANNEGRET HILSE / REUTERS

Scene of the game:

For a moment there was absolute silence in the Leipzig stadium.

Wout Weghorst ran to the penalty kick.

Then it happened: The left leg lost its grip, the Wolfsburg striker hit the ball with his right, but at such an inconvenient angle that it flew many meters over the Leipzig goal.

Weghorst then hit the lawn on which he had slipped.

The frustration had to go.

Result:

»Out« is the keyword - VfL Wolfsburg lost 2-0 (0-0) at RB Leipzig and were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup.

RB is in the semifinals.

Click here for the match report.

Number two in the country:

According to the Bundesliga table, Leipzig and Wolfsburg are the two best German teams behind FC Bayern.

As for the past few weeks, it works: RB won five times in a row, VfL won seven out of the last eight games.

The fact that Leipzig won the direct duel was okay - despite the strange Weghorst penalty.

RB seemed more stable and also more dangerous.

It was “brutal to play here.

You have to acknowledge that without envy, "said Wolfsburg's Maximilian Arnold after the final whistle on ARD.

The first half:

These first 45 minutes were not as exquisite as one might assume given the form strength of both teams.

RB earned two clear chances through Christopher Nkunku (12th minute) and Justin Kluivert (18th), but did not use them.

Wolfsburg also had two very good opportunities, but Renato Steffen couldn't get past RB goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi (45th), and then there was Weghorst's miss.

Otherwise there was a duel after duel.

Icon: enlarge

Weghorst hits the lawn

Photo: 

RONNY HARTMANN / AFP

The second half:

Was half of Alexander Sørloth.

The 25-year-old came into the game after about an hour and shaped it with his assault runs over the right Leipzig side.

In a counterattack, which started in his own penalty area, Sørloth marched forward over the wing, then put Poulsen in, who shot and scored in the penalty area (62.).

In the closing stages he refueled against Anthony Brooks and put the ball on for Emil Forsberg, shortly afterwards it was 2-0 (88th).

Sørloth, who has been in Leipzig since the summer, had long start-up problems.

Now he seems to have arrived.

At the weekend it was his actions that brought RB the win against Mönchengladbach.

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Flight mode: VfL keeper Koen Casteels against Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku

Photo: Matthias Koch / imago images / Matthias Koch

The two-meter wall from Flanders:

Wolfsburg had not conceded a goal eight times in a row before the RB game.

This is due to a well-organized defense.

Strong defenders.

And a goalkeeper who has been playing in the Bundesliga for almost ten years, but is not considered by many to be a top keeper in the league.

Wrongly.

Koen Casteels also showed what he can do against Leipzig.

After a great cross from Dani Olmo, the 1.97-meter man dived towards the second post and fended off a header from Nkunku on the line (12th), he was right when Kluivert tried (18th), after the break he blocked a Poulsen shot (52nd), and even before the second hit he parried sensationally against Forsberg before Hwang Hee-Chan dusted off.

Jewel in defense:

Just a few months ago, Maxence Lacroix was probably only known to football nerds.

Because he was under contract with the French second division club Sochaux.

Since the 20-year-old moved to Wolfsburg in the summer, his fame has grown.

Because Lacroix immediately prevailed at VfL, he even seems to have a higher calling.

His calm on the ball?

Remarkable.

His passports under construction?

A potential weapon.

And the French also seem pretty dominant in other ways.

Next man Kevin Mbabu yelled once in the first half after he was inattentive.

But: Before Poulsen's goal, he decided a split second too late to attack the striker.

This is one of the reasons why the ball landed in goal.

Bright prospects:

RB Leipzig has not yet won a title, but it could be so far this year.

In the cup semi-final, either Dortmund, second division Kiel or the winner from the postponed duel between Regensburg and Bremen are waiting.

Only against BVB would RB not be the clear favorite.

Oh yes: In the Bundesliga, the Leipzigers are only two points short of first place.

But Bayern are still playing.

Icon: The mirror

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2021-03-03

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