ADVERTISEMENT

Arnold crucial as Wolfsburg stop draw run with Bielefeld win

Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold helped his side avoid an unwanted Bundesliga record as he picked up a goal and an assist on the way to a 2-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday.

Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold made his only Germany appearance in 2014

After picking up four points so far this season, Wolfsburg were on course to become only the fourth Bundesliga side ever to draw all of their first five games, equalling an all-time league record.

Yet Arnold's impressive first-half display ended the dreary run of results to give Oliver Glasner's side their first win of the season against promoted Bielefeld.

It was the first league meeting between the two clubs since Wolfsburg’s title-winning season in 2009, and Bielefeld’s top-flight inexperience showed in the first half.

With 19 minutes gone, they were caught flat-footed as Maximilian Arnold set up Wout Weghorst with a short free-kick, and the Dutchman fired home to score his second goal in two games.

ADVERTISEMENT

Arnold himself doubled the lead just a minute later, as Wolfsburg pinned Bielefeld back and regained possession with aggressive pressing directly after the restart.

In Sven Schipplock, Bielefeld brought on a striker with 153 top flight appearances to his name in the second half, and the former Hoffenheim and Hamburg front man promptly fired them back into the game, sweeping in a sharp assist from Japan winger Ritsu Doan.

The visitors then hit the post as they pushed for an unlikely comeback, but Wolfsburg held on to avoid yet another draw.

After starting the season strongly with a win and a draw, Bielefeld have now lost three games in a row in October and are now just two points above the relegation play-off place.

str/iwd

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT