Wolfsburg, Germany – Wolfsburg substitute Jonas Wind scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, as visitors Mainz took the lead three times but lost 4-3 in a Bundesliga blockbuster on Sunday.
Freiburg later had the chance to leapfrog the fifth-placed Wolves but drew 1-1 at lowly Hoffeheim. Tom Bischof boosted the hosts after Matthias Ginter had prodded in Freiburg substitute Vincenzo Grifo’s second-half free-kick.
Wolfsburg, after a fourth straight league win in the race for Europe, are now above Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg on goal difference while Mainz are two points further back in ninth.
“It is an unbelievably good feeling,” Wind told DAZN.
Champions in 2009 and runners-up in 2015, they have been more used to battling relegation in recent years but are on an upward curve under coach Ralph Hasenhüttl – despite parent company Volkswagen’s financial woes.
Last weekend’s 5-1 win at RB Leipzig was arguably Wolfsburg’s best display in years, but they began poorly against Mainz as Paul Nebel stylishly opened the scoring on 11 minutes after the visitors won the ball high up.
Algeria striker Mohamed Amoura, who scored twice at Leipzig, soon brought the Wolves level after Robin Zentner could only palm a cross into his path. It was his fifth goal of the league season.
Germany striker Jonathan Burkardt chested Mainz back in front after a flicked-on cross before half-time. He became the club’s joint-record Bundesliga scorer with 33 goals.
“It is a nice achievement for me but right now the defeat hurts more,” Burkardt said.
Wolfsburg eventually grabbed a deserved equalizer on 57 minutes. Tiago Tomás scuffed Amoura’s cross and Andreas Hanche-Olsen got his legs in a tangle and could not prevent the goal.
Mainz would not lie down though and Nebel turned in his second, a first brace as a professional, before Dane Wind made it 3-3 in a dramatic game on 84 minutes and headed in a free-kick late on.
In Saturday’s main programme of matches, Bayern Munich beat Heidenheim 4-2 at home to extend their lead at the top to six points.
(dpa)