Paderborn strike late to relegate Wolfsburg from Bundesliga

Paderborn’s Laurin Curda scored in extra-time to seize a 2-1 residence win within the second relegation playoff leg on Monday and relegate 2009 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg 2-1 on mixture.

The slender win returns Paderborn to the Bundesliga after six seasons, whereas ending Wolfsburg’s 29-year run within the prime flight.
Wolfsburg, who performed all however 14 minutes with 10 males, grew to become simply the second top-flight workforce up to now 14 seasons to be relegated within the two-legged playoff.

Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking, who received the German Cup with the facet in 2015 and returned to try to beat the drop, advised German TV he was “profoundly disillusioned.

“We tried completely all the pieces — and the gamers invested all the pieces they’d — in an effort to maintain the workforce within the league.”
Dzenan Pejcinovic gave Wolfsburg the lead early however two yellow playing cards inside three minutes to Joakim Maele lowered the Wolves to 10 males.
“Look, we may focus on it, however it’s finally futile to take action, as a result of the referee made his determination, even when we view that incident in a very totally different mild,” Hecking stated.

Buoyed by their one-man benefit, Paderborn laid siege to the Wolfsburg aim and Filip Bilbija levelled issues up simply earlier than the break with a far submit header.

The Wolves managed to maintain the hosts at bay and pressure extra-time however Curda broke by means of within the 99th minute to place his facet on track for victory.

The Volkswagen-owned Wolves, who reportedly have the fifth most costly facet within the Bundesliga, had hoped to problem for a European spot this season however will now play within the Bundesliga 2 for the primary time since 1997.

The match was simply three minutes outdated when Pejcinovic hit a low shot into the underside nook to offer the Wolves the lead.
With 11 minutes gone, Maele noticed yellow for kicking the ball away in a scuffle. Moments later, the Dane obtained his marching orders after sliding in recklessly and connecting with Mattes Hansen’s knee.

It was the earliest a participant had been despatched off within the historical past of the relegation play-off.
Paderborn turned up the stress and Bilbija broke by means of simply earlier than the break, heading in on the again submit.

In extra-time, residence ahead Sven Michel, who was a part of the Paderborn facet promoted in 2018-19, floated a cross from the left to the toes of Curda, who volleyed residence to ship the house followers into raptures.