Wolfsburg's Masterclass Derailed by VAR Drama

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 66/100. A match where Wolfsburg's attacking intensity overwhelmed Union Berlin, only for VAR decisions in the final minutes to transform a comfortable victory into a controversy-laden classic.

Early Dominance Sets the Stage

Wolfsburg announced their arrival in the tenth minute. Patrick Wimmer finished clinically after Mohamed Amoura's assist—a statement of intent at the Volkswagen Arena. The hosts controlled the balance from kickoff, pressing Union Berlin into submission. Amoura doubled the advantage in the 30th minute, converting from S. Kumbedi's delivery. By half-time, Wolfsburg had established a stranglehold: 20 shots to Union's four, a balance so skewed it suggested a rout was inevitable.

VAR Chaos Erupts in the Final Act

Then came the controversy. Minute 64: Amoura's goal was wiped out by VAR. Minute 68: S. Nsoki pulled one back for Union—2-1. Minute 83: A penalty was awarded, then cancelled by VAR. Minute 89: The same penalty was reinstated. Kamil Grabara, Wolfsburg's goalkeeper, made the save of the match—a crucial intervention that kept his side ahead when they might have capitulated. L. Querfeld's 90th-minute goal made it 3-1, but the narrative had already shifted: from clinical dominance to VAR theatre. Grabara finished with five saves and one penalty stop—a performance that defined the intensity of the encounter.

Numbers Reveal the Truth

Union Berlin's 57% possession and 459 passes created an illusion of control. But xG told the real story: Wolfsburg 0.81, Union 2.15—yet Wolfsburg won 3-1. Amoura's involvement (goal, assist, key pass) epitomised Wolfsburg's ruthlessness. Union's 20 shots yielded only one goal, a damning indictment of their finishing. This was a match where intensity and efficiency conquered possession. Wolfsburg's third win of the season came not through beautiful football, but through the kind of pragmatic, clinical finishing that wins titles.