Bundesliga
Wolfsburg put an end to a long run of losses with a scoreless draw against Hertha Berlin that keeps both sides just out of reach of the Bundesliga drop zone.
In an effort to end a sequence of eight straight defeats in all competitions, Wolfsburg were encouraged by coach Florian Kohfeldt to "demonstrate a bold style of play," against Hertha. The men in green responded with an energetic first-half display that should have yielded at least a goal. Jerome Roussillon their chief creator, the Wolves' No.15 produced several inviting crosses from the left which Luca Waldschmidt and Wout Weghorst might have taken advantage of on another day. Indeed, save for their finishing, Wolfsburg looked far from a team in the lower reaches of the table. That said, there were still warnings for the hosts in the opening 45 minutes, as demonstrated by Niklas Stark's disallowed goal at the other end.
Galvanised by Tayfun Korkut's half-time team-talk, Hertha emerged after the break a different side. The visitors - who began this Matchday 19 contest a mere one point and one place above their opponents - engineered a wonderful chance when Vladimir Darida chipped a sumptuous pass in for Marco Richter, who struck off target. The capital side's increased possession raised frustration among home ranks, demonstrated when Waldschmidt and Weghorst got in each other's way when a goal chance looked on. The action soon swinging back the other way, Richter wriggled his way into a shooting position before seeing his low effort well saved by Wolfsburg captain, Koen Casteels. The breakthrough ultimately failing to arrive, both sides will have emerged satisfied with a point, if for different reasons.
Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Lacroix, Bornauw, Brooks - Baku, Arnold, Gerhardt (Nmecha 79'), Roussillon - R. Steffen (Vranckx 63'), Weghorst, Waldschmidt (Lukébakio 63')
Unused subs: Pervan, Mbabu, van de Ven, Guilavogui, Philipp, Bialek
Out: Mehmedi (muscular), Schlager (knee), Stefaniak (groin), Otavio (knee), William (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt
Hertha: Schwolow - Klünter, Stark (c), Torunarigha, Mittelstädt - Richter, Ascacibar (Tousart 90'+3), Darida, Ekkelenkamp (Boyata 87') - Belfodil, Maolida (Selke 78')
Unused subs: Körber, Dardai, Gechter, Plattenhardt, Jastrzembski, Kade
Out: Boateng (suspended), Christensen (not included), Jarstein (knee), Jovetic (calf), Serdar (suspended), Bjorkan (match fitness), Zeefuik (match fitness)
Coach: Tayfun Korkut