Wolfsburg - Freiburg 6-0
After a difficult start to the campaign, Wolfsburg entered the winter break in red-hot form, and there were no signs of rustiness as they returned to action. Within 60 seconds, they were in front - Patrick Wimmer poking Yannick Gerhardt’s pass beyond Mark Flekken in the Freiburg goal. Nicolas Höfler also clinched an equaliser, but his effort was well saved by Koen Casteels and, before long, the hosts had doubled their advantage. On this occasion, Wimmer was the provider, stabbing a ball into the path of Jonas Wind, who headed home with ease.
Daniel-Kofi Kyereh went close for Freiburg, but Wolfsburg continued to dominate and, after Flekken got down well to thwart Wimmer, Die Wölfe bagged a third before the interval. There was little Wind knew as Micky van de Ven’s cross clattered off his knee and into the net, but neither he nor manager Niko Kovač will have cared as they went into the break almost out of sight.
Freiburg have defied expectations this term and came into this clash just five points off league-leaders Bayern Munich, but they had a lot to do in the second period to close the gap to the Bavarians. Their task went from incredibly hard to almost impossible in the 55th minute, as Gerhardt showed composure to beat Flekken from close range. In the end, there was never any threat of a comeback, allowing the home side to see out the game with ease. Ridle Baku’s first-time finish at the back post along with Luca Waldschmidt’s stoppage-time penalty completed the rout.
The result leaves Wolfsburg just three points off the top four, and they will be hoping to continue their positive run at Hertha Berlin in midweek. Christian Streich’s men, meanwhile, move down to third, although their lofty position in the table means there will be no panic after such a heavy defeat.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Patrick Wimmer (VfL Wolfsburg)
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Bochum - Hertha Berlin 3-1
In a battle between two relegation-threatened sides, Hertha thought they had drawn first blood when Lucas Tousart thumped the ball into the top corner from Marco Richter’s neat backheel in the 11th minute. However, the Hertha celebrations were brief, as VAR deemed the ball to have drifted out of play in the build-up. After surviving that early scare, a relieved Bochum side sprung into action, taking the lead midway through the first half, as Philipp Hofmann rose above the Hertha defence to nod home from Philipp Förster’s lofted cross.
Having taken confidence from their opener, the hosts went in search of a second goal, and after Förster clipped the top of the crossbar with a thunderous free-kick, they doubled their advantage before the break. Förster’s inswinging corner found a way through to the far post and Bochum debutant Keven Schlotterbeck, whose subsequent header from close range was his first-ever Bundesliga goal.
Hertha returned from the HT interval with greater intent, but any remaining hopes of mounting an unlikely comeback were quashed in the 56th minute. From a Hertha corner, Christopher Antwi-Adjei led a purposeful counterattack by driving down the left flank before picking out Hofmann, whose deflected strike looped over a backpedalling Oliver Christensen and into the net.
The visitors’ miserable afternoon was summed up when Jessic Ngankam’s glanced a headed effort against the top of the crossbar from Myziane Maolida’s floated delivery. Die Alte Dame managed to produce a consolation goal late on thanks to Suat Serdar’s driven strike, but it was too little too late for the visitors, who replace Bochum in the automatic relegation places following a fourth consecutive away defeat in the top flight.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Philipp Hofmann (VfL Bochum)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Frankfurt - Schalke 3-0
Despite being increasingly cut adrift at the foot of the table, Thomas Reis would’ve had reason to be encouraged by his side’s display in the first half as they caused plenty of problems for their high-flying opponents. Soichiro Kozuki was starring on his Bundesliga debut, firing narrowly wide with one effort before rattling the upright with another. Simon Terrode also had a huge chance to find the net, when his glancing header from close range appeared destined to find the corner before Kevin Trapp produced a glorious save to turn it against the post.
Oliver Glasner’s men were constantly a threat on the break though, and that was realised when the Eagles countered to devastating effect and opened the scoring. Randal Kolo Muani released Jesper Lindstrøm, who isolated Henning Matriciani, tormenting the defender with his mazy dribbling before eventually putting him out of his misery and slotting into the corner.
Schalke’s play continued to defy their league position, but they were unfortunate to be faced by Trapp showing his incredible quality in the Eagles’ goal. The German shot-stopper preserved his side’s lead within 90 seconds of the restart as he thwarted a powerful header from Kozuki.
Ultimately, the visitors’ threat faded as the game went on, and Glasner’s men extended their lead inside the final 10 minutes. Lindstrøm slotted in Rafael Santos Borré, who showed tremendous footwork and composure to evade challenges and slot into the far corner. Substitute Aurélio Buta added a third in stoppage time to rub salt into Schalke’s wounds, securing Frankfurt’s 28th Bundesliga home win over Schalke in the process - more than against any other opponent.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Stuttgart - Mainz 1-1
While it may not have been a happy season for Stuttgart so far, it had looked as if they’d enter HT ahead when Serhou Guirassy squeezed home from close range to give the hosts an unlikely lead. Despite their endeavours, Stuttgart wouldn’t be able to hold on to their advantage, with the visitors levelling from the spot via Marcus Ingvartsen’s composed penalty kick. Frustration for Labbadia, who has returned as manager to Stuttgart to try and claw them out of danger.
As the snow began to fall after the restart, the players turned up the heat on the pitch, with both sides denied by the woodwork. Firstly Mainz midfielder Aymen Barkok, who broke in behind the Stuttgart defence, before clipping the crossbar with a flashed shot from just inside the penalty area. For Stuttgart, Guirassy’s curled effort from the edge of the box looked as if it was destined for the top corner, only to cannon back off the upright - much to the annoyance of the 50,000 supporters inside the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Ultimately, it would prove to be a frustrating afternoon for Stuttgart, who spurned one final opportunity to snatch the three points late on. Falling to him inside the penalty area, Josha Vagnoman was unable to keep his shot down, instead squirming a wayward effort over the crossbar. Vagnoman’s missed chance was almost certainly the difference between one point and three for Stuttgart - a moment that could prove pivotal come the end of the campaign.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Union Berlin - Hoffenheim 2-1
Following an incredible start to the season which saw them at the league’s summit for six consecutive matchdays, Union’s form took a dramatic downturn just before the winter break, including 5-0 and 4-1 defeats. They returned to action in frigid conditions at their home ground, and earned the majority of the attacking play in the opening moments. Their intensive running and quick passing gave home fans a lift, but it was Hoffenheim who got the first big break, when Angeliño’s low cross was scuffed wide by 17-year-old midfielder Tom Bischof on his first Bundesliga start.
Union vied to create meaningful chances, and they were gifted one when Ihlas Bebou bizarrely defended a cross into the box by punching the ball away for a clear penalty. Jordan Siebatcheu, having drawn a blank in his last seven outings, stepped up to take, but could only roll it against the post for Union’s fourth miss from five spot-kicks this season. Hoffenheim pushed forward following the let-off, and Bebou made amends for his earlier error by unleashing a lethal near-post strike, following some potent counter-attacking play from Dennis Geiger and Robert Skov.
Fuelled by a raucous atmosphere at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, the capital club returned from HT with renewed vigour, but initially showed poor finishing despite good work from the likes of Genki Haraguchi and Christopher Trimmel. As the snow came down, Union dug in and were left frustrated by Oliver Baumann and the Hoffenheim defence, until finally they had a breakthrough. Danilho Doekhi rose highest to meet a corner kick, and looped it into the net, putting the home side on level terms.
The Dutch defender wasn’t finished there, however, scoring a second in almost identical circumstances, from another Trimmel corner, to complete the comeback for Urs Fischer’s team and keep their UEFA Champions League dreams alive. Union were able to make sure of their victory right before the final whistle too, with substitute Jamie Leweling being released on the counter and sliding under Baumann for a third. Union were suitably jubilant at FT, while Hoffenheim boss André Breitenreiter will be disappointed that his side have thrown away a winning position, with the result keeping them in the bottom half going into the final full week of January.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christopher Trimmel (Union Berlin)
