Wolfsburg moved into fifth in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win away to Hertha Berlin on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts took the lead in the first half through Per Skjelbred and managed to hold on to 1-0 until the break.
However, Wolfsburg came out strongly in the second half to complete the turnaround with goals from Robin Knoche and a wonder strike from Daniel Caligiuri.
Read how the action unfolded.
Hello all and thanks for joining me for the second Bundesliga commentary this afternoon. Up now we have Hertha against Wolfburg and with not much time to kickoff I'll get the team news right across.
HERTHA XI: Kraft; Ndjeng, Langkamp, van den Bergh, Pekarik; Hosogai, Kobiashvili; Cigerci, Allagui, Skjelbred; Ramos
WOLFSBURG XI: Benaglio; Ochs, Klose, Knoche, Rodriguez; Luiz Gustavo, Medojevic; Arnold, De Bruyne, Perisic; Dost
The visiting Wolfsburg in their familiar green strip get us underway for the second half. This one should be interesting.
I wonder how well Bas Dost can do today on what is a rare start for him. Ivica Olic has been ever-present this season so Dost has a chance to stake a claim finally. Midfield battle here early on with plenty of energy.
Hertha are probably just about on top but it's been a very even start. The hosts are pressing very high when not on the ball, which they have done all season and it has upset a lot of visiting teams here.
Wolfsburg enjoy a spell of possession on the edge of the box, but there's an offside flag I think against Dost which means that the possession does not turn into an effort on goal. Wolfsburg have a lot of players who are dangerous in that very spot, though.
The referee has a decision to make there as De Bruyne goes down right on the edge of the box. It looked to me that Pekarik was slightly late and caught him, but it was a tough one to give. I think it would have been a free kick right on the edge as well, rather than a penalty.
There hasn't been a save yet from either goalkeeper, but Wolfsburg are just upping the tempo a little bit. They win another corner as Langkamp overhits a backpass, but it's cleared relatively easily.
Half-chance there for Allagui, who was just onside as Kobiashvili pinged the ball over the top, but he had more time than he thought and sliced his effort well over the bar from an angle.
It's all being played in the middle of the park at the moment, with neither team able to get on top. It's Hertha's turn to attempt a bit of possession, though, until a pass from Ndjeng is deflected out of play.
GOAL! Hertha 1-0 Wolfsburg (Per Skjelbred)
Skjelbred has two bites of the cherry there and with the second one swallows it down. His first shot is deflected after taking it off Allagui, and I think that effort was going wide, before steering it into the opposite corner at the near post to give the side from the capital the lead.
Chance there from a corner from Ramos. He was left pretty much unmarked, and might have been taken by surprise as his header goalwards was straight at Diego Benaglio.
BOOKING: Token booking there from Luiz Gustavo for a late tackle. He's been sent off twice already and is now in danger of being the first man in Bundesliga history to see red three times in a season...
SAVE! Comfortable stop there for Benaglio. Cigerci swung the free kick in and it came off the thigh of Gustavo, but his keeper was down to stop it going in the bottom corner.
SAVE! First real piece of action there for Kraft at the other end, but I'm not sure how much he knew about it. The shot came in from De Bruyne, but it was straight at Kraft, who still had to make sure it rattled into his shoulder.
It has not been the attacking fluency we have come to see this season from Wolfsburg so far. It remains that the De Bruyne chance a few minutes ago was their only real effort on goal. Hertha have been solid so far.
Another chance with a header for Ramos there, but again he only picks out Benaglio. He immediately gets the ball back from Medojevic's awful pass, but his chip does not get back under the bar. I'm not sure that was the best option.
Wolfsburg are still playing patiently as there is a long way to go in this one. They're struggling to deal with Hertha's tempo, though, and aren't seeing a lot of it in the final third.
CHANCE! Allagui just wants too much time there. Ndjeng's cross goes right through to Allagui, but instead of shooting first time he tries to control it which allows Klose in to make the last-ditch tackle.
It's not a game full of the highest quality you'll ever see. Hertha certainly deserve their lead and right now it's up to Wolfsburg to break them down - which they haven't managed to do so far.
Late bit of pressure in the half here for Wolfsburg. Arnold is too quick for Kobiashvili, who brings him down around 25 yards from goal. Dangerous spot, this - Arnold looks interested as does Rodriguez.
It is Rodriguez who takes it and he gets it over the wall but it curled wide of the near post - Kraft wasn't troubled.
HALF TIME: Hertha Berlin 1-0 Wolfsburg
Hertha deserve their lead at the break and if they can continue to restrict their visitors it could be good enough for three points. I expect chances for Wolfsburg in the second half though and this one is not over.
Benaglio has by far been the busier goalkeeper, but it hasn't been a game of lots of chances yet. Wolfsburg need to find a way to deal Hertha's pressing game in the second half.
The half-time shenanigans do not seem to be interesting the crowd too much. Just as well we're not far away from the resumption. I would expect there to be no changes as yet, but if it stays this way Dieter Hecking may well look to reshuffle his attack a little.
We're almost ready to go. The players are back out...
No changes at the break as the hosts get things started again for the second 45.
Strong start to the half from the home side, but as Allagui gets a chance to cross on the left he somehow miscues it out of play in front of the near post. Whoops.
Not much to report in the last few minutes. Hertha are just about on top of proceedings but the ball is spending most of its time near the half-way line.
No further chances in this half as yet and it's all very tentative on the pitch. That means it's so far, so good for Hertha, though. It's not necessarily up to them to force the issue being ahead.
Allagui has seen a lot of the ball in and around the visitors' box, but as yet he's not done a lot with it. Hosogai gives away a foul on midfield - that's a sentence you hear a lot.
GOAL! Hertha 1-1 Wolfsburg (Robin Knoche)
Wolfsburg finally up the tempo and they are rewarded for it. They win a corner from which Knoche rose to meet it and heads the away side level. They don't really deserve it, but that said Hertha have hardly been dominant. Rodriguez with the assist.
Briliant work from Allagui there, who took on a couple of players down the left before playing in Cigerci to the right. Ramos had the ball cleared behind as he was looking for the shot. Good break there.
CHANCE! Ramos is through there as Allagui plays him in, but he delays his shot just enough for Klose to get across and make the tackle. Really good defending.
WOLFSBURG SUB: Perisic, who has been quite poor this half, makes way for Daniel Caligiuri.
Can either side get themselves ahead here? At the moment Hertha are seeing more of the ball, but their energy has just died down a bit.
Just 15 minutes left to go here and the battle in midfield is as tight as it has been all game. Hertha are allowing Wolfsburg a little bit more time on the ball before they press, but the away side haven't done anything with the extra space yet.
GOAL! Hertha 1-2 Wolfsburg (Daniel Caligiuri)
What a strike that is! Incredible hit from the substitute Caligiuri. He cuts in from the left and rifles a strike into the near post top corner that curled away from Kraft. His first goal from the club and it could be a very important one indeed.
HERTHA SUB: There's no doubt that Hertha have not been as good without Ronny today. He now has nine minutes to alter the outcome here - he's on for scorer Skjelbred. Also a card for Klose who brought down Ronny - it looked a bit soft as he leaned in.
OFF THE BAR! Ben Hatira heads against the bar there! Ronny took a poor touch but just managed to keep it in play and his cross to Ben Hatira hit the bar and went over. He really should have scored!
Really good tackle there from Gustavo on Ronny as the forward looked to get through. Hertha are huffing and puffing but there are a lot of green shirts behind the ball and not a lot of time.
WOLFSBURG SUB: Marcel Schafer on for De Bruyne. That's a bit more solidity in the midfield as Hecking looks to hold on to it.
Three minutes of added on time have been indicated. I can't see Hertha getting a late equaliser, if I'm honest.
WOLFSBURG SUB: Stefan Kutschke is on for Dost late on as Wolfsburg look to waste some more time.
FULL TIME: Hertha Berlin 1-2 Wolfsburg
Big celebrations from the away side there. They know how big a win that is - they're up to fifth. Caligiuri's strike was worthy of winning any game.
Thanks for joining me this afternoon for the Bundesliga action. There's plenty more to come next weekend, starting on Friday. Until then, it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
