Paderborn strike late to relegate Wolfsburg from Bundesliga

PADERBORN: Paderborn’s Laurin Curda scored in extra-time to grab a 2-1 home win in the second relegation playoff leg on Monday and relegate 2009 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg 2-1 on aggregate.

The narrow win returns Paderborn to the Bundesliga after six seasons, while ending Wolfsburg’s 29-year run in the top flight.

Wolfsburg, who played all but 14 minutes with 10 men, became just the second top-flight team in the past 14 seasons to be relegated in the two-legged playoff.

Dzenan Pejcinovic gave Wolfsburg the lead early but two yellow cards inside three minutes to Joakim Maele reduced the Wolves to 10 men.

Buoyed by their one-man advantage, Paderborn laid siege to the Wolfsburg goal and Filip Bilbija levelled things up just before the break with a far post header.

The Wolves managed to keep the hosts at bay and force extra-time but Curda broke through in the 99th minute put his side on course for victory.

The Volkswagen-owned Wolves, who reportedly have the fifth most expensive side in the Bundesliga, had hoped to challenge for a European spot this season but will now play in the Bundesliga 2 for the first time since 1997.

The match was just three minutes old when Pejcinovic hit a low shot into the bottom corner to give the Wolves the lead.

With 11 minutes gone, Maele saw yellow for kicking the ball away in a scuffle.

Moments later, the Dane received his marching orders after sliding in recklessly and connecting with Mattes Hansen’s knee. It was the earliest a player had been sent off in the history of the relegation play-off.

Paderborn turned up the pressure and Bilbija broke through just before the break, heading in at the back post.

In extra-time, home forward Sven Michel, who was part of the Paderborn side promoted in 2018-2019, floated a cross from the left to the feet of Curda, who volleyed home to send the home fans into raptures.

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