Wolfsburg extended their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to six games against Hamburger SV on Friday night, although they were held to a 1-1 draw.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring through Hakan Calhanoglu, who struck a free kick from distance only to see it go in off the bar and the goalkeeper.
Wolfsburg equalised 10 minutes later through a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty and although there were chances at both ends neither side could claim the win.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening fussball fans. The new Bundesliga weekend begins right here and for you tonight we have Wolfsburg against Hamburger SV.
Wolfsburg are one of the form teams of the Bundesliga and have moved up to fifth almost without anyone realising. Their draw away to Nuremberg last time out was their first points dropped for five games.
New Hamburg coach Bert van Marwijk has had a good impact on his side and they have got over their awful start and are beginning to climb the table. They are still very inconsistent, however, with two wins and two defeats from their last four.
Right without further ado, I'll get the team news right over to you.
WOLFSBURG XI: Benaglio; Ochs, Naldo, Knoche, Rodriguez; Gustavo, Medojevic; Caligiuri, Arnold, Perisic; Olic
HAMBURG XI: Adler; Westermann, Tah, Djourou, Jansen; Rincon, Badelj; Beister, Arslan, Calhanoglu; Lasogga
Looking at the two teams, this should be a feast of attacking football. Neither coach shies away from going after the opposition and it should be all about who can outscore the other team. There is no Diego for Wolfsburg, though, and that will be a blow.
For Hamburg Rafael van der Vaart of course is still injured, which will see Hakan Calhanoglu given another go in behind Pierre-Michel Lasogga. He took a while to get into the game last time but showed why he is so highly rated as the game wore on.
Players for me to watch are, in no particular order, Ivan Perisic, Tolgay Arslan and Ivica Olic. They all have their own understanding of how the game should be played and represent the direct running, technical ability and tactical side of the Bundesliga. I'm excited - can you tell?
So it's almost kickoff and time for my prediction. I'm going for a 3-1 home win - I can't look beyond the hosts but can see them being troubled at the back.
KICKOFF: We are underway. There has never been a 0-0 draw between these two sides and I can't see one tonight!
Lots of noise inside the ground but it's Hamburg who have started the better team. They have seen plenty of the ball down the left hand side, but there hasn't been a chance as yet. It's tactical so far.
The first shot of the game comes in from Olic but it was quite far out and was never looking like threatening Adler's goal. You don't get six goals without trying, though. His shooting will improve I don't doubt.
For all I bigged this one up, there hasn't been a lot of threat on either goal as yet. Wolfsburg are coming into it more now and Ochs in particular on the right is looking to cross at any opportunity.
Chance from a set piece with a corner on the right for the hosts, but Hamburg have been solid at the back so far and clear it once more. There are more fouls than successful passes at the moment, which side can grab it by the scruff of the neck?
Olic slashes another effort high and wide, but it was good pressure in the build-up that led to that chance. Adler is furious at his defence for their sloppiness - they really need to be more aware of the press.
GOAL! Wolfsburg 0-1 Hamburg (Pierre-Michel Lasogga)
That's as scrappy a goal as you will ever see but Hamburg won't mind a jot. Calhanoglu's free kick from range loops over Benaglio, who lands on the ball and cannot get it under control. In comes Lasogga to stab in from the goalline, but it may have already gone in. The credit at the moment goes to Calhanoglu, but it could still be an own goal or Lasogga's!
CLOSE! How can Wolfsburg respond from that set back? Well, nearly with a goal. Perisic gets by Westermann on the left and crosses low for Olic, but from a tight angle he cannot turn the shot on target.
It has been a good response from the hosts as they have had most of the ball since the goal, but they are lacking a spark. Dare I say, the spark that Diego can provide. There's a lot of moment but not much of it in the box at the moment.
MISS! With his form, that has to go down as a big miss from Lasogga. Arslan broke down the left with pace and put it across the edge of the box for Lasogga whose first time effort goes wide.
PENALTY TO WOLFSBURG!
GOAL! Wolfsburg 1-1 Hamburg (Rodriguez, pen)
That was a remarkably soft penalty! Caligiuri made a nice turn in the box and Westermann was close to him, but really he's gone down far too easily. It's given anyway and Rodriguez slides the spot kick into the bottom corner for the equaliser.
Ambitious effort from Lasogga, whose overhead kick goes straight to his teammate Beister. The winger cuts on to his left but his low shot is comfortably held by Benaglio. This is suddenly end-to-end.
BOOKING: Two players go down in a heap - Arnold and Calhanoglu. The latter goes into the book for what was a flailing arm in the aerial duel. I think he could have avoided that and it looks to be the right call.
Wolfsburg are being troubled a little by the Hamburg pressing game now, but they remain just about on top. Ochs again crosses from the right, which gets deflected but doesn't quite fall for Medojevic as the visitors clear.
Hamburg with some late possession as the half is coming to an end. It's all in their own half, however. For all the counter-attacks so far there has been a lack of saves being made.
There will be just one minute to play at the end of the first half. I think it will be 1-1.
HALF-TIME: Wolfsburg 1-1 Hamburg
So it's half-time at the Volkswagen arena and just about the right score. If either side should be winning it's probably the hosts, but they had enough fortune with what looked to me to be a very soft penalty.
The opening goal came from a Calhanoglu free kick from distance. I'll give him the benefit of doubt that he went for the shot, but his effort came off the bar, under Benaglio and in - Lasogga possibly got there to tap it in, but I think it was already over the line.
Then came the controversial moment. Caligiuri did well initially in the box to get by Westermann, but then went down at the slightest danger of contact. The referee on the other side of the incident gave it, but if he had the view of the camera he might not have done.
This is definitely set up for an interesting second half. The players are coming back out. I don't think there have been any changes.
We're back underway. Immediately Arslan fizzes in a shot from range and that is not too far away at all. Good effort.
SAVE: Arnold is looking lively early in this half and has just tested Adler with a stinging low drive from just outside the box. The keeper dealt with it well.
BOOKING: Another player goes down in the box, this time Arslan of Hamburg. This one was clear cut and it was clear what he was intending as he flicked the ball past Knoche. He doesn't complain too much and rightly so.
CHANCE! Caligiuri gets a chance at goal, but has tried too much with it. Naldo raced forward and found Olic, who then passed left to Caligiuri. Instead of shooting he cut on to his left and took it too far wide which meant that his shot was blocked.
BOOKING: Naldo gets the booking that he often has the tendency for. It's a mistimed tackle, but they survive from the free kick and almost create something on the counter. Neither side is on top of this at the moment.
hamburg sub: Ivo Ilicevic comes on for Beister as Van MArwijk rolls his dice. What can the new man offer?
Unbelievably ambitious effort from Calhanoglu again from a free kick, and this time it's even further out than the goal in the first half. This time it's nowhere near from about 40 yards, but there was certainly power behind it.
Hamburg are beginning to sit deeper and deeper here, but as yet Wolfsburg have not taken advantage. The ball keeps coming back, however, and the pressure is really starting to build. Can they ride it out?
CLOSE! Decent attempt there by Gustavo. He drove from midfield and spun round both Badelj and Rincon, but his left-footed effort from just outside the box went wide of the far post.
Naldo's attempt for a shot and his is a long way out. He does have a penchant for a spectacular strike but that one was nowhere near. Hecking laughs on the sidelines. Then at the other end Arslan looks to be in after rounding Benaglio but Ochs got back brilliantly to tackle at the last.
BOOKING: Dangerous free kick here right on the edge of the box. Knoche goes into the box for bringing down Arslan and that's the correct decision. Great change here for Calhanoglu.
SAVE! It's a really good strike from the youngster, but Benagio anticipated where it was going and gets a strong arm to push it away.
Wolfsburg are beginning to get frustrated now and are giving away a number of fouls. This time Dost escapes a booking for a late tackle on Arslan.
So we're into the crucial final 10 minutes. Lots of balls are being aimed in the direction of Dost, but so far the Hamburg defence have dealt with his aerial threat well.
SAVE! Lasogga has two efforts at goal there. The first he has Arslan in support in the middle and probably should have passed, but when he gets it back Benaglio makes a good second stop and it's cleared from under his own bar by Naldo.
WOLFSBURG SUB: Marcel Schafer is on for Olic. That leaves Dost now as the lone striker, will the slight change of system work?
OFF THE BAR! Ilicevic rattles the bar and he really should have scored! It's a real chance for the visitors as Arslan puts it on a plate for him and he only managed to hit the bar. What could have been....
WOLFSBURG SUB: Timm Klose on for Knoche, who took a knock in that last penalty box incident.
Hamburg remain on the front foot, but I don't think they will get a better chance than the one for Ilicevic. Westernamm crosses from deep but it goes straight out of play for a goal kick.
There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of this half. We're into the first of that.
FULL-TIME: Wolfsburg 1-1 Hamburg
So the game ends and there's nothing to choose between the two teams. In truth, Wolfsburg probably did enough to win it, but they could even have lost as Hamburg finished strongly.
That's all from me right now. I'll be back over the weekend with more Bundesliga action, but until then it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
