Wolfsburg crush Gladbach in five-star performance

Wolfsburg 5-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Goals: 1-0 Wind (pen. 3'), 2-0 Mæhle 60' (assist: Wind), 3-0 Arnold (76'), 4-0 Nmecha 84' (assist: Wimmer), 5-0 Nmecha 87' (assist: Mæhle), 5-1 Fukuda 89' (assist: Pléa)

VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach entered this Bundesliga clash with identical records of 24 points after 16 matches, both improving on their tallies from the same stage last season. The Wolves were looking to secure back-to-back wins to start the new year, while the Foals aimed to bounce back from their narrow defeat by Bayern Munich.

Wolfsburg manager Ralph Hasenhüttl made one change from their victory over Hoffenheim, with Jakub Kamiński replacing the suspended Tiago Tomás. Gladbach's Gerardo Seoane was forced to reshuffle his pack, with Tomáš Čvančara stepping in for Tim Kleindienst, who was absent due to injury.

The match exploded into life in the opening minutes as Wolfsburg were awarded a penalty. Julian Weigl clumsily brought down Bence Dardai in the box, and Wind stepped up to take the spot-kick. The Danish forward kept his cool, sending Moritz Nicolas the wrong way to give the Wolves an early lead. Gladbach responded well to the setback, dominating possession and creating chances. Čvančara came close to equalising in the 12th minute, but his chipped effort was well saved by Kamil Grabara.

As the first half progressed, Gladbach continued to control the game, with Kevin Stöger pulling the strings in midfield. Robin Hack tested Grabara with a well-struck effort from outside the box in the 20th minute, but the Wolfsburg keeper was equal to it. The Wolves' captain Maximilian Arnold picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul in the 41st minute, his seventh of the season. Just before the break, Hasenhüttl made a change as Kamiński was replaced by Patrick Wimmer.

The second half saw a complete turnaround in the match dynamics. Wolfsburg came out firing, with Mohamed Amoura hitting the post in the 50th minute. The hosts' pressure paid off on the hour mark when Joakim Mæhle doubled their lead. The Danish full-back combined brilliantly with Wind before slotting past Nicolas. This goal opened the floodgates, and Wolfsburg began to run riot.

Arnold added a third in the 75th minute, capping off a fine individual performance. The captain received the ball on the left side of the box and fired a shot across goal into the far corner. Substitute Lukas Nmecha then got in on the act, scoring twice in quick succession. Gladbach managed a consolation through Shio Fukuda in the 89th minute, but it did little to dampen the Wolves' spirits.

While several Wolfsburg players shone in this emphatic victory, Joakim Mæhle's performance stood out. The Danish international not only scored a crucial goal to double Wolfsburg's lead but also provided an assist for Nmecha's second strike. His attacking contributions were matched by his defensive work, as he helped keep Gladbach at bay during their first-half pressure. Mæhle's energy and quality on both ends of the pitch were instrumental in turning the match decisively in Wolfsburg's favour.

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Wolfsburg 3.76 - Gladbach 1.11
Fastest player: Mohamed Amoura (WOB), 32.85 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 5-0 by Lukas Nmecha (WOB), 7 percent
Most pressed player: Alassane Pléa (BMG), 29 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Mohamed Amoura (WOB), +3.93

Fantasy Heroes: Joakim Mæhle (Wolfsburg, 385 Points), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg, 278 Points), Lukas Nmecha (Wolfsburg, 240 Points)