Five without conceding for Wolfsburg after Gladbach draw

Wolfsburg 0-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach

Wolfsburg and Gladbach were set up as expected in their identical formations, but the lack of differing set-ups did nothing to restrict the entertainment at the Volkswagen Arena. It took just eight minutes for the first piece of stunning football to be on display as Kevin Mbabu glanced Maximilian Arnold's free-kick at goal and drew a world-class fingertip save from Yann Sommer to palm the ball wide. Ridle Baku had a shot blocked by Matthias Ginter in front of goal moments later before Yannick Gerhardt fired over with Wolfsburg on top from the get-go. The Foals slowly worked themselves into the game with Alassane Plea's shot being brilliantly blocked by Paulo Otavio. Jonas Hofmann took a heavy fall after battling for a high ball in the Wolfsburg area but was able to continue into the break with the scores level into half-time.

Gladbach came out of the blocks quickly in the second half with Lars Stindl forcing the first save of the game from Koen Casteels. Just like the away side in the first half, Wolfsburg took their time to get going but did so 10 minutes into the second half with Xaver Schlager firing over from range. Wolfsburg produced another big chance for the opening goal with John Brooks heading Arnold's corner onto the outside of Sommer's post as the home side got the bit between their teeth. Mbabu made Sommer work again with hosts' next corner but it was becoming increasingly evident that something special would be needed to breakthrough either side. It almost came for Wolfsburg in the final minutes with Gerhardt glancing a free header wide from in front of goal before Schlager hit a low drive into the side-netting at Sommer's near post.

• Gladbach are winless in their last 16 away trips to Wolfsburg in the league; their most recent triumph in the Wolves' territory was a 3-1 victory on 22 November 2003.
• Wolfsburg have now recorded five clean sheets in a row in the Bundesliga.
• This was the first goalless draw involving Gladbach this season; the third for Wolfsburg.
• John Brooks has scored two goals in his last 12 games, having previously gone 33 without finding the net. His most prolific season to date was in 2018/19 with three.
• Florian Neuhaus made his 100th competitive outing for the Foals; Matthias Ginter also made his 250th Bundesliga appearance.

Watch: Casteels: "We can live with a draw"

Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks, Otavio - Schlager, Arnold - Baku, Gerhardt, Steffen (Victor 80') - Weghorst
Unused subs: Pervan, Roussillon, Pongracic, Brekalo, Mehmedi, Guilavogui, Philipp, Bialek
Out: -
Coach: Oliver Glasner

Gladbach: Sommer - Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Kramer, Neuhaus – Lazaro (Wolf 70'), Stindl (c), Hofmann (Embolo 80') - Plea
Unused subs: Sippel, Lang, Beyer, Wendt, Jantschke, Reitz, Herrmann
Out: Thuram (knee), Zakaria (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose