Bundesliga
Sevilla 2-0 Wolfsburg: as it happened!
A revived Wolfsburg led by Lukas Nmecha look to take a step closer to the UEFA Champions League knockout stage when they visit Sevilla and Jules Kounde on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CET).
As it happened
Sevilla: Bounou - Montiel, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna - Fernando, Delaney - Ocampos, Rakitic (c), Gomez - Mir
Wolfsburg: Pervan - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold (c), Roussillon - L. Nmecha, Gerhardt - Weghorst
2 - 0(1 - 0)
Sevilla
FINAL
Wolfsburg
vs
FULL-TIME: SEVILLA 2-0 WOLFSBURG
Rafa Mir turns in from close range with the final kick of the game. Wolfsburg must now win at home to Lille in their final Group G encounter, if they're to be playing European football in the new year.
90' +4
vs
Ludwig Augustinsson
Diego Carlos
90' +4
vs
Karim Rekik
Ivan Rakitic
90'
vs
Lukas Nmecha
88'
vs
LAST ROLL OF THE DICE
Another striker for Wolfsburg, but they have to start getting balls into the box!
88'
vs
Daniel Ginczek
John Anthony Brooks
85'
vs
WIDE!
Sevilla substitute Rafa Mir has a pop from range, but it's always going wide. Wolfsburg haven't really found any rhythm since the restart. Can they land a sucker-punch?
82'
vs
Maximilian Arnold
80'
vs
Thomas Delaney
Joan Jordan
80'
vs
Rafa Mir
Munir
80'
vs
Oliver Torres
Alejandro Gomez
72'
vs
SAFE HANDS
Montiel with a warning shot from range that Pervan does well to keep hold of. It's a cliche, but the next goal is crucial...
66'
vs
MAXI POWER
An injection of pace on the left-hand side as Philipp replaces Gerhardt. Wolfsburg are still in this, but have got to start creating more in the final third.
66'
vs
Maximilian Philipp
Yannick Gerhardt
59'
vs
ANOTHER CHANCE!
Wolfsburg only half clear another Acuna set-piece. The ball finds its way to Ocampos on the right-hand side of the area. He drives goalwards, with a deflection off Roussillon taking it away from the diving Pervan. Guilavogui's right by his goalkeeper's side, though, to turn it behind.
53'
vs
CLOSE!
Acuna sends a laser-guided free-kick into the Wolfsburg area. Pervan starts to come, but isn't getting anywhere neat it. Luckily for him, neither is Kounde at the far post. Let-off for Wolfsburg.
52'
vs
Josuha Guilavogui
46'
vs
NO CHANGES
Both sides as they were at the start of the second half. With Lille leading Salzburg, Wolfsburg could really use a positive result here.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
45'
vs
HALF-TIME: SEVILLA 1-0 WOLFSBURG
Sevilla have a narrow lead at the break, but Nmecha has struck the crossbar for the Wolves. Lille lead Salzburg in the other fixture in the section, which now looks like this: Lille (8pts), Salzburg (7pts), Sevilla (6ts), Wolfsburg (5pts).
43'
vs
WOLFSBURG WALL
Munir drives a free-kick into Nmecha. His follow-up effort is straight into the wall, too, before Weghorst is fouled in the ensuing scramble for possession.
34'
vs
BROOKS DOES HIS JOB
Acuna pings a ball in the direction of Jordan in the Wolfsburg box, but a back-tracking Brooks gets a slight touch to put off the Sevilla goalscorer. His first touch is loose, and Pervan can gather.
30'
vs
WOLVES IN THE GAME
Gerhardt wins back possession and immediately looks for Nmecha. He tries to work an opening for Weghorst, but the Dutch striker is crowded out on the edge of the area. Despite conceding the early goal, Wolfsburg are playing with confidence.
23'
vs
OFF THE BAR!
So close to an equalising goal as Nmecha curls goalwards from the edge of the area. Bounou gets a hand to it, though, pushing the ball onto the bar, with Diego Carlos completing the clearance.
17'
vs
STILL EARLY DOORS
Wolfsburg win a corner, which is whipped in by Vranckx. Lacroix meets it, but can't direct his backwards header on target. Wolfsburg came from 2-0 down to draw at the weekend, remember.
13'
vs
WOLFSBURG TRAIL
Ivan Rakitic bends in a peach of a cross. Jordan pulls away from Baku and heads past Champions League debutant Parvao Pervan. That goal means Wolfsburg slip to fourth in the section...
6'
vs
ENERGETIC START
Sevilla are pressing high and moving the ball with pace, but Wolfsburg aren't being overwhelmed. Baku's just gone on the rampage, looking for Weghorst in the box for the first time. Sevilla get it away.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
vs
THE SKIPPERS
Wolfsburg captain Maxi Arnold and Sevilla counterpart Ivan Rakitic, a former Bundesliga player with Schalke, exchange pleasantries. Kick-off is seconds away...
vs
TEAMS OUT
Stunning pre-match choreo from the home fans - they've taken a leaf out of the Bundesliga with that one! And here come the teams, to the tune of the Champions Leage anthem...
vs
LAST TIME OUT
Renato Steffen opened the scoring in the reverse fixture, but the game turned late on. Joshua Guilavogui was harshly sent off in the 85th minte, with Ivan Rakitic equalising from the penalty spot.
51s
vs
WATCH: LUKAS NMECHA - A MAN IN FORM
Freshly minted Germany international Lukas Nmecha is Wolfsburg's top scorer this season. The former Man City forward's scored seven times in 16 appearances in all competitions.
vs
KOHFELDT: 'A LOT TO GAIN'
Florian Kohfeldt, unbeaten in four matches as Wolfsburg coach, admits Group G is wide open. "If we want to have more than just one more game in the Champions League, it’s very important," he said. "After our home win against Salzburg, the group is wide open for every team. We don’t have the best starting position, but it’s in our own hands and we’re very pleased about that. We don’t have a lot to lose, but we do have a lot to gain."
vs
WOLFBURG STARTING LINE-UP
Pervan - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold (c), Roussillon - L. Nmecha, Gerhardt - Weghorst
vs
WOLFSBURG SUBS
Klinger, Schulze, Bornauw, van de Ven, Otavio, Waldschmidt, Philipp, Mbabu, F. Nmecha, Lukebakio, Ginczek
vs
SEVILLA STARTING LINE-UP
Bounou - Montiel, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna - Fernando, Jordan - Gomez, Rakitic (c), Ocampos - Munir
vs
SEVILLA SUBS
Dmitrovic, Gonzalez, Augustinsson, Rekik, Rafa Mir, Rodriguez, Delaney, Torres, Hernandez, Juanlu, Romero
vs
THE STORY SO FAR
Wolfsburg got back in the hunt for qualification with a 2-1 triumph over Salzburg last time out - their first win in the Champions League since the home leg of their 2015/16 quarter-final tie (2-0 against Real Madrid). That took them onto five points - the same tally as Lille in second, and two behind leaders Salzburg. Sevilla are still without a win in Europe this season, home or away; if they lose again, they will be out of the running for a top-two finish.
vs
WELCOME!
Wolfsburg can take a big step towards the UEFA Champions League last 16 with three points against Sevilla. Stay tuned for live text build-up and match coverage...
Latest
Nmecha has been at the forefront of Wolfsburg’s upturn in form since Florian Kohfeldt took over, with the new Germany international scoring a goal in all four games under the new coach. That includes the Wolves’ first Champions League win of the season as they beat Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 last time out. The 22-year-old was again on target at the weekend as Wolfsburg came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Arminia Bielefeld. That also saw Wout Weghorst score his first league goal since the point at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in September. Josuha Guilavogui shakes off a calf problem to start, while Maxence Lacroix returns after his domestic suspension. Jeremy Roussillon starts on the left-hand side, with Paulo Otavio only fit enough for a place on the bench.
Sevilla may have conceded one goal fewer than Wolfsburg, but Kounde & Co. are still bottom of Group G having drawn their opening three games in the section before a 2-1 defeat at home to Lille last time out – only their second loss of the season in all competitions. An added-time penalty from former Schalke midfielder Ivan Rakitic saw the Spanish side rescue a 2-2 draw of their own on Saturday at home to Alaves. It sent the Andalusian club top of the league table overnight, despite missing several key players like captain Jesus Navas, former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Delaney, Argentines Erik Lamela, Papu Gomez, and striker Youssef En-Nesyri. Sevilla will be out of the Champions League if Wolfsburg beat them, and out of Europa all together if Lille also get a result at home to Salzburg.
Watch: Nmecha, a man in focus
Match stats
- Nmecha has scored two goals in his first four Champions League appearances.
- Steffen scored his first Champions League goal for Wolfsburg in the reverse fixture. He netted once, also on his debut, in five outings for Basel.
- Wolfsburg got back in the hunt for qualification with a 2-1 win over Salzburg last time out – that was their first win in the Champions League since the home leg of their 2015/16 quarter-final tie (2-0 against Real Madrid).
- Sevilla are still without a win in Europe this season, home or away; if they lose again, they will be out of the running for a top-two finish.
- Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen 2017-21), Karim Rekik (Hertha Berlin 2017-20), Delaney (Bremen 2017-18, Dortmund 2018-21) and Rakitic (Schalke 2007-11) made a combined 366 appearances in the Bundesliga.
CONFIRMED line-ups
Sevilla: Bounou - Montiel, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna - Fernando, Delaney - Ocampos, Rakitic (c), Gomez - Mir
Subs: Dmitrovic, Gonzalez, Augustinsson, Rekik, Rafa Mir, Rodriguez, Delaney, Torres, Hernandez, Juanlu, Romero
Out: En-Nesyri (hamstring), Lamela (knock), Navas (thigh), Suso (knock)
Coach: Julen Lopetegui
Wolfsburg: Pervan - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold (c), Roussillon - L. Nmecha, Gerhardt - Weghorst
Subs: Klinger, Schulze, Bornauw, van de Ven, Otavio, Waldschmidt, Philipp, Mbabu, F. Nmecha, Lukebakio, Ginczek
Out: Bialek (knee), Casteels (not included), Mehmedi (muscular), Schlager (knee), William (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt