Wolfsburg's problem children crush Manchester giants

To win a game and create a historical football moment is one thing, but a football coach always focuses his mind on what has to be done to keep improving. That may be the biggest satisfaction for Dieter Hecking.

   Against a top-class team like Manchester United, Wolfsburg's newcomers like Julian Draxler, Andre Schuerrle and Max Kruse, who to date have been Wolfsburg's problem children, for the first time played together effectively as if they had for ages. 

   Underdog VfL Wolfsburg made it into the round of the last 16 in the Champions League for the first time in their history. Brilliant tactics were the key to a 3-2 (2-1) victory on Tuesday through a Naldo brace in the 14th and 84th minutes plus a Vieirinha strike (29th). Martial had opened the scoring for Manchester who are currently lying fourth in the English Premier League. Their second came from a Joshua Guilavogui own-goal in the 82nd minute. 

   ManU and its coach Dutch Louis van Gaal are now facing hard times as the team has been eliminated from Europe's top club competition as Dutch side PSV Eindhoven beat Moscow 2-1 to also go through with Wolfsburg. Manchester now has to try to overcome its deep crisis in the Europa League. "We are disappointed no question. It was a crazy match," Van Gaal said. 

   Over the last few months, Wolfsburg and Hecking were having their troubles themselves. First Schuerrle (32 million euros from Chelsea) was struggling, then Max Kruse (12 million euros from Borussia Moenchengladbach) was not meeting expectations and to cap it all Julian Draxler (37 million from Schalke 04) was a disappointment. The trio was unable to harmonize in the league but now things clicked against the "Red Devils", one of Europe's big boys.

   After all, speed in modern football is the key to succsess. Against Manchester, Wolfsburg's "problem children" were happy with the new freedom given to them, meaning they seem to love changing positions and play a direct fast ball more than any time before.       

   Looking at Wolfsburg's statistics against English teams, there was no doubt, Manchester United and the German national team captain Bastian Schweinsteiger were the big favorite. The Germans had lost all of their last seven games against English sides in the past years, including the first leg of this season's Champions League campaign in Manchester. In addition, the decisive duel between the two six years ago also went United's way 3-1 after Michel Owen scored a hat-trick. 

   This time around, Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking and his scouting staff had done their homework on a ManU team that is light years from its former self. Considering Manchester's problems to go forward at pace after gaining the ball, Hecking put all his hopes on the speed his team can play with when things fit together.

   So Hecking left out his center forward, the Dutch striker Bas Dost, and instead played all his fast aces such as Julian Draxler, Max Kruse and the Portuguese Vieirinha in attacking midfield positions and had Andre Schuerrle running at Manchester's slow defense down both flanks and at times dropping back to midfield.   

   Not only did things work well for Wolfsburg in the first half but also in the second as Manchester failed to gain full control. Schuerrle, Kruse and Naldo missed out on wrapping the game up early by missing gilt-edged chances. The win was only blighted by Wolfsburg's Brazilian defender Naldo picking up a third yellow card and a one match ban. 

   Celebrations went on the entire night in Wolfsburg as the win and a last 16 place came as a surprise. Not many pundits expected Wolfsburg to top the group so clearly. By beating ManU, Wolfsburg had finally graduated to on the international stage. 

   "Our strategy was to keep Manchester's defense busy with our fast midfielders and forwards," said Hecking. "I'm happy to see that the team is developing which still is a hard job to do for us. But this victory today shows us we are on the right track. We had our work cut out as Manchester battled right to the end," continued Hecking after his team had won all its three Champions League group matches at home. A solid good reason to be satisfied in an underdog's life. 

   "We were fully concentrated and did a great job. You can imagine how happy we are to have beaten a famous side like Manchester. This means a lot for the entire city, the club and me," said Naldo.  Endi