Kohfeldt wins on Wolfsburg debut

Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Wolfsburg
Goals: 0-1 L. Nmecha (assist: Lukebakio) 48', 0-2 Arnold 52'
Red card: Lacroix 90'+5

Kohfeldt took his place on the Wolfsburg bench for the first time, bidding to bring an end to an eight-game winless streak and spoil Gerardo Seoane's 43rd birthday. He witnessed a positive start from his new team, with Ridle Baku testing Lukas Hradecky with the first chance of the game. Leverkusen hit back with Amine Adli driving forward and shooting wide before referee Deniz Aytekin had to intervene to cool some tempers after a Renato Steffen foul on Florian Wirtz. Four yellow cards later and the action resumed with even more antagonism, but few chances.

That changed early in the second half when substitute Dodi Lukebakio beat the offside trap and delivered a cross which Nmecha turned in from close range. The Wolves doubled their lead less than five minutes later when Arnold rifled his effort into the roof of the net after both Nmecha and Paulo Otavio had shots blocked, and the guests continued to push with John Anthony Brooks heading an Arnold free-kick over. Seoane turned to Paulinho and the tide slowly started to turn, with Robert Andrich, Kerem Demirbay and Paulinho all testing Koen Casteels before a last-gasp penalty, and red card for Maxence Lacroix, gave Lucas Alario the chance to score. Casteels denied him, too, as the Wolves returned to winning ways after four straight Bundesliga defeats, inflicting a third defeat of the season on Die Werkself.

• Ex-Werder Bremen boss Kohfeldt oversaw his 40th Bundesliga win as a head coach, and first since 10 March 2021.
• Lukebakio came on for his 100th Bundesliga appearance, and immediately set up Nmecha for the opening goal.
• All three of Nmecha's goals this season have come away from home.
• Arnold's first goal of the season means he has scored at least once in 10 straight Bundesliga campaigns.
• Jeremie Frimpong registered a top speed of 22.13mph (35.61km/h), the fastest of any Leverkusen player this season.
• Leverkusen’s three defeats under Seoane have all come at home (previously 4-3 vs. Borussia Dortmund & 5-1 vs. Bayern).

Watch: Kohfeldt discusses first game in Wolfsburg hotseat

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Hincapie (Paulinho 54'), Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker (Sinkgraven 82') - Palacios (Andrich 69'), Demirbay - Frimpong, Wirtz, Adli (Amiri 69') – Alario
Unused subs: Lomb, Lunev, Retsos, Kossounou, Bravo
Out: Aranguiz (calf), Baumgartlinger (knee), Bellarabi (hamstring), Diaby (suspended), Fosu-Mensah (knee) Schick (ankle)
Coach: Gerardo Seoane

Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku (F. Nmecha 80'), Vranckx, Arnold, Gerhardt (Mbabu 69') - Philipp (Lukebakio 46'), L. Nmecha (Ginczek 90'+2), Steffen (Otavio 46')
Unused subs: Pervan, Bornauw, van de Ven
Out: Bialek (knee), Mehmedi (muscular), Roussillon (calf), Schlager (knee), Waldschmidt (thigh), Weghorst (not included), William (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Watch: Seoane: "We have to stick together"