Wolfsburg go top of Bundesliga with dominant victory over Schalke

Wolfsburg have gone top of the Bundesliga after a convincing 3-0 victory over Schalke at the Volkswagen Stadion.

Bas Dost, Ricardo Rodriguez and Timm Klose put their visitors to the sword after a relatively sluggish display from Schalke.

Following disappointing results last week, Schalke and Wolfsburg were both looking to bounce back tonight but it was the hosts that took control early and were able to take the lead.

Despite creating chances, Huntelaar must have left his shooting boots at home as he failed to hit the target with any of his three decent chances.

The result leaves Wolfsburg top of the table and a point clear of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen who all have a game in hand. Schalke meanwhile drop down to seventh.

9’ – GREAT SAVE! – Rodriguez whips a ball in with his left foot from the right. Dost gets a little flick on it and the ball looks to be heading to the far corner but Fahrmann sprawls across the goal unsighted to tip the ball wide.

17’ – GOAL! – Vierinha finds himself in space between the lines. He sprays it wide to Trasch on the overlap and he puts a first time ball in to Bas Dost in the middle and the striker makes no mistake with his right boot on the volley as he diverts it into the back of the net.

23’ – CHANCE! – Lovely play from Schalke to release Kolasinac down the left. He bears down on the penalty area and cuts the ball back to Sane on the edge of the area. He opts to take a touch rather than shoot first time and his goal-bound shot is smothered by Naldo.

29’ – CHANCE! – Sane dribbles infield and delays his pass so Choupo-Moting has space on the right. He plays it to him before the winger then lays it first time to Huntelaar but his finish looks timid and rushed as he scoops it over the crossbar.

59’ – PENALTY! - Rodriguez with the low cross to the near post and Kolasinac hacks down Gustavo who gets to the ball first. The Wolfsburg left back strokes it into the bottom corner with ease.

61’ – GOAL! – Similar corner routine as the ball comes in low to the near post where Klose is on hand to sweep the ball home with his left foot.

75’ – CHANCE! – Goretzka lays the ball to Huntelaar in the penalty area but his left footed drive is wild and flies over the bar.

Wolfsburg have now won 15 of their last 18 home matches in the Bundesliga

However in their last ten matches including today, tonight’s clean sheet is their only one

There have been more than two goals in nine of Wolfsburg’s last ten games while Schalke have seen more than three goals for only the third time in their last 12.

Schalke have lost 13 of the last 14 games they’ve played at Wolfsburg in all competitions

Can either of these sides challenge Bayern Munich for the title? Schalke still look a long way off while Wolfsburg look only a sprinkling of stardust away from a proper title challenge. Losing Kevin De Bruyne is not going to help their cause but if they can reinvest that money in possibly someone even better, they could make Bayern sweat until the final weeks of the season. They haven’t got long to find that man though, admittedly.

Joshua Guilavogui, Wolfsburg – Technically not the best player you'll ever see but he absolutely dominated the middle of the park. Schalke’s midfielders couldn’t get near him when he had the ball and couldn’t get away from him when they had it. An all-round box-to-box masterclass from the central midfielder.

Wolfsburg – Casteels 7, Klose 8, Trasch 8, Naldo 7, Rodriguez 8, Gustavo 7, Guilavogui 9, Vieirinha 8, Caliguiri 7, Kruse 7, Dost 8. Subs – Schurrle 6, Bendtner 7, Arnold 6.

Schalke – Fahrmann 6, Riether 5, Matip 4, Neustadter 5, Kolasinac 5, Geis 6, Draxler 5, Choupo-Moting 5, Aogo 6, Sane 7, Huntelaar 5. Subs – Di Santo 6, Goretzka 6, Meyer 6.