Wolfsburg 4-1 Bayern Munich: De Bruyne and Dost leave champions reeling

9 years ago

Wolfsburg 4-1 Bayern Munich: De Bruyne and Dost leave champions reeling

Two goals each for Bas Dost and Kevin de Bruyne saw Wolfsburg stun Bayern Munich with an emphatic 4-1 win on Friday.

The first game back after Germany's mid-season break gave Wolfsburg's players and fans the opportunity to honour the life of 20-year-old midfielder Junior Mandala, who died in a car crash earlier this month, before kick-off.

Dieter Hecking's team, who were 11 points behind leaders Bayern in second before Friday's match, proceeded to give a stirring performance from the first whistle - Dost handing them a fourth-minute lead.

Making only his fourth start of an injury-hit campaign, Dutch striker Dost doubled his tally in first-half stoppage time before the excellent De Bruyne took centre-stage.

The Belgium international displayed visible emotion in memory of his countryman Mandala when he made it 3-0 in the 53rd minute.

Although Juan Bernat hit back for Bayern two minutes later, De Bruyne would mesmerizingly turn Dante inside-out to rifle in an unstoppable fourth and seal Bayern's worst league defeat since a 5-1 thrashing on the same ground in April 2009.

Following a poignant pre-match tribute to Mandala - commemorated with a lengthy period of applause before a moment's silence - Wolfsburg stylishly took the lead from their first attack.
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Luiz Gustavo intercepted Thomas Muller's pass to launch a clinical counterattack. Daniel Caligiuri's exquisite throughball from the right picked out De Bruyne, who selflessly touched the ball intoDost's path to stroke home.
Aside from the goal, Bayern largely bossed the early exchanges and Wolfsburg defender Robin Knoche made a timely block to deny Robert Lewandowski in the 14th minute.
The champions' usual poise deserted them as the half wore on and they might have been further behind when Xabi Alonso carelessly gave away possession to De Bruyne, but he was unable to pick out Dost on this occasion – the Dutchman scuffing another effort wide soon after.
However, he would not rue his misses for long.
Bayern half-cleared a stoppage-time set-piece and, althoughDost's contact did not appear to be completely clean, the Dutchman lashed into the top corner via the upright.
Though Caligiuri could not convert Ivan Perisic's superb left wing cross soon after the interval, Wolfsburg once again would not pay for their profligacy as Bayern's defensive efforts completely unravelled.