Schalke re-established their Champions League credentials in the first game back after the winter break. VfL Wolfsburg has to look downwards. First they have to get away from relegation places - later on they maybe are allowed to look at the UEFA cup places again.
Two goals in four second-half minutes woke up the players of VfL - too late.
Sven Kmetsch put the Gelsenkirchen side ahead two minutes after the break. He played a neat one-two with Belgian marksman Mpenza before beating Maik Franz and placing his shot perfectly into the far corner. Gustavo Varela netted a second just five minutes later. However, Wolfsburg steadied their ship and even halved the deficit when an Effenberg free-kick hit the wall in minute 71 and the rebound fell to the feet of Maric, who instinctively poked the ball into goal through a crowd of players. But the hosts could hardly argue that they deserved to take anything from the game and Schalke held out for the win.
Schalke dominated for long stretches and ought to have been ahead at the break after hitting the Wolfsburg woodwork twice in the first half. Ebbe Sand struck the left post with a speculative effort after just two minutes and Emile Mpenza repeated the trick in the 41st minute after being sent through one-on-one with Claus Reitmaier. The Wolfsburg keeper kept the scores level in the 27th minute when he parried a Kmetsch shot over the bar.
And where were the chances for VfL Wolfsburg? Their fans had to wait for the final minute of the half for their first chance of the game. A quick throw-in from Steffen Effenberg found Martin Petrov and his early shot almost caught Frank Rost out of his goal but the Schalke keeper got back in time to save it. Beside that there only had been dull plays - no good ideas into offense. With Ponte and Klimowicz being injured there seem to be a big hole in the game of VfL. Even Stefan Efferberg had a bad day and could not bring his stamp on the game.
A new player for VfL Wolfsburg has been official signed today: Peter Madsen, offensive player of Bröndby Kopenhagen signed until June, 30th 2003 with an option to lengthen this contract. The 24 year old Danish Dynamite had been one of the best scorers in Danisg Superleague last season with 22 goals. He will get number 14 and is allowed to play for VfL Wolfsburg in the next home game against Arminia Bielefeld.
01/27/2003. German side Wolfsburg have signed Danish international striker Peter Madsen from Brondby for an undisclosed fee.
The cash-strapped Danish giants have been forced to sell the 24-year-old, who is highly rated following his performances last season. Premiership outfit Tottenham were believed to have had the player watched last year.
He is Wolfsburg's third signing following the arrivals of Pablo Thiam from Bayern Munich and Argentinian Pablo Quattrocchi.
Madsen is effectively a replacement for Diego Klimowicz, who is on the injury list for the next couple of months at least.
Argentina's Pablo Quatrocchi has signed for VfL Wolfsburg from Argentine club Estudiantes de La Plata for 900,000 euros (935,000 dollars), the German league first division club said on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old defender will join his new teammates on Thursday at mid-winter training in Vale do Lobo, Portugal.
Szerintem nyer a Stuttgart, de ezek a németek el vannak kényelmesedve arrafelé tényleg, bezzeg amikor a HSV, vagy a Schalke arénát adták át, megtelt a lelátó
jaja, több mint 20000 néző előtt. mondjuk azt hittem, hogy legalább a nyitómeccsen megtelik az új aréna, de nem :( tényleg nem igazán szeretik arrafelé a focit...
Wolfsburg:
C. Reitmaier - T. Rytter, M. Franz, S. Schnoor, T. Rau - M. Karhan, H. Sarpei - S. Effenberg - R. Präger (81. S. Müller), D. Klimowicz, R. Ponte (77. C. Akonnor)
Dortmund:
J. Lehmann - C. Wörns, S. Reuter (62. J. Heinrich), C. Metzelder (62. G. Reina) - S. Kehl (74. M. Amoroso) - L. Ricken, T. Frings, T. Rosicky, L. Dede - H. Ewerthon, J. Koller