Red-hot Wolfsburg overwhelm Hertha

Hertha Berlin 0-5 Wolfsburg
Goals: 0-1 Svanberg 4' (assist: Wimmer), 0-2 Arnold (pen. 31'), 0-3 Wind 34' (assist: Svanberg), 0-4 Baku 72' (assist: Svanberg), 0-5 Marmoush 86' (assist: Casteels)

The in-form Wolves tore Freiburg apart 6-0 on Saturday after scoring inside the first two minutes, and there was more of the same in the German capital when Matthias Svanberg volleyed in from Patrick Wimmer's well-worked free-kick in the fourth minute. Niko Kovac's charges sought to capitalise on their momentum and Svanberg soon had the ball in the net again from another Wimmer pass, but it was ruled out for offside. Wimmer was a constant thorn in Hertha's side early on and it was his jet-heeled run through the home defence that ultimately led to Wolfsburg winning a penalty, from which Maximilian Arnold smashed his side 2-0 ahead. The away team's third goal soon followed. Svanberg flicked on Arnold's lofted pass and Wind executed sublime chip over Oliver Christensen to give the Wolves a seemingly unassailable lead at the interval.

The hosts must have received the hairdryer treatment from coach Sandro Schwarz at half-time as the players reemerged stony faced and carrying an air of menace. A strong challenge from Jessic Ngnakam on Sebastiaan Bornauw early on not only drew a roar of approval from the home support it also set the tone for the half. Shortly afterwards, Dodi Lukebakio carved out Hertha's best chance of the game when cutting onto his preferred left foot from the right, but he sent his shot well wide, before Ngnakam headed off target from a Jonjoe Kenny cross. Yet for all of Hertha's much-improved levels of commitment and desire they struggled to cause Wolfsburg any serious problems at the back. That shortcoming was brought into even sharper focus when Wolfsburg extended their lead with their first real opportunity of the half, Svanberg spraying the ball into Ridle Baku's path for the right-back to smash into the net from an angle. Substitute Omar Marmoush capped off his team's five-star display with a fierce late drive as the Wolves climbed to within a point of the top four.

• Having found the net inside two minutes on Matchday 16, the Wolves struck early for a second consecutive game.
• Wimmer now has a team-high five assists in 2022/23.
• The Austrian has been directly involved in a goal in each of his last five Bundesliga appearances, scoring two and providing four assists.
• Svanberg's volley was his first ever Bundesliga goal, coming in his 16th league outing.
• Arnold has four goals this season, as many as he managed in the entire 2021/22 campaign.
• Wind's goal was his fourth in just his eighth Bundesliga game this season, and third in 2023 already.

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Hertha: Christensen - Kenny (Pekarik 87'), Rogel (Uremovic 46'), Kempf, Mittelstädt (Plattenhardt 46') - Tousart (c), Sunjic (Ngankam 46') - Richter (Scherhant 64'), Serdar, Lukebakio – Kanga
Unused subs: Ernst, Boetius, Boateng, Maolida
Out: Ejuke (knee), Jarstein (not considered), Jovetic (muscular), Niederlechner (thigh), Nsona (knee)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz

Wolfsburg: Casteels – Baku, Lacroix, Bornauw, Van de Ven – Svanberg, Arnold (c) (Waldschmidt 83'), Gerhardt (Guilavogui 70') – Wimmer (Paredes 70'), Wind (Franjic 79'), Kaminski (Marmoush 78')
Unused subs: Pervan, Fischer, Philipp, Ambros
Out: F. Nmecha (thigh), L. Nmecha (knee), Otavio (suspended)
Coach: Niko Kovac