Julian Draxler scored two classy goals to lead VfL Wolfsburg to a 3-2 away win over UEFA Champions League newcomers KAA Gent in the round-of-16 on Wednesday.
At 22, Draxler confirmed himself as the new creative force of a team who have been struggling, scoring just before and just after halftime in the first leg.
On the hour mark, Max Kruse finished off another smooth move with a goal that made it seem like the second leg would be little more than a formality, but Gent’s Sven Kums scored in the 80th minute and Kalifa Coulibaly made the game even closer nine minutes later.
Photo: EPA
Wolfsburg defended high from the start and harried Gent’s midfield throughout, belying the Belgian side’s robust reputation at home.
Draxler made all the difference. In the 44th minute he swiveled around a defender and sprinted down the left sideline, before working a perfect one-two with Vierinha and finishing the move off with a low shot past Matz Sels.
His second goal, in the 54th minute, was perhaps even better — he latched on to a bad back-pass, beat the last defender, Stefan Mitrovic, by slipping the ball through his legs, before chipping over Sels into the empty net.
It was an important payoff from Wolfsburg’s most expensive player and it also showed his promise for the Germany national team. Draxler was brought in after top player Kevin de Bruyne moved to Manchester City, but the team have been struggling for much of the season and are in eighth place in the Bundesliga.
However, Drexler’s performance showed that a struggling team in the Bundesliga is still a massive challenge for Champions League rookies like Gent.
Still, Wolfsburg were frustrated with the late goals which left Gent still with an outside chance in the return match.
“We shifted a gear back,” Draxler said. “That was our mistake.”
The Belgian champions were euphoric about reaching the knockout stage, but on Wednesday they struggled from the kickoff.
Gent, who won their first league title last year, have charmed everyone with open, attacking play, but even if Wolfsburg’s defense was hit with suspension and injury, they were only able to thrill the home fans at the 20,000-capacity Ghelamco Arena in the final 10 minutes.
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