Energie Cottbus fights back from three goals down to draw 4-4 at Wolfsburg

Wolfsburg takes an early three-goal lead

VfL Wolfsburg opened scoring in the fourth minute after Energie Cottbus goalkeeper Marcel Lotka fouled Robert Glatzel inside the penalty area during a third-minute cross. Glatzel, who became a father for the third time on Friday, converted the resulting penalty kick himself. Following a 20th-minute attempt where Alexander Bernhardsson struck the post, Wolfsburg extended the lead in the 25th minute when Fabian Reese assisted Vinicius Souza on a counter-attack.

Nine minutes later, Bernhardsson dispossessed Fousseny Doumbia following a pass from Lotka, squaring the ball to Glatzel, who chipped over the goalkeeper for his second goal. Cottbus reduced the deficit in stoppage time of the first half (45+4) when 19-year-old Luca Erlein struck the ball under the crossbar after Tolcay Cigerci hit the post.

Second-half fightback and late equaliser

Cottbus coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz adjusted his lineup at the interval, replacing Justin Butler, Lucas Copado, and Doumbia. King Manu cut the deficit to 3-2 in the 49th minute, before Cigerci converted a 67th-minute penalty kick to level the score at 3-3. Substitute Mattias Svanberg restored Wolfsburg's lead in the 79th minute, but the hosts were reduced to ten men in the 88th minute when defender Mathys Angely received a second yellow card for foul play.

Dmytro Bogdanov scored the final equaliser for Cottbus in the 91st minute, securing the draw and extending Wolfsburg's winless run at home, which dates back to a 2-1 victory over FC St. Pauli on 14 January.

Wollitz addressed his team's performance and recovery after the final whistle.

What we delivered here in the second half was passion, it was everything that makes football.

Cottbus defender Axel Borgmann evaluated the outcome during a television interview with Sky.

When you are 3-0 down after 35 minutes, then it already feels like a victory to me in that moment. And we can also be very proud of ourselves. That will also give us a lot of strength for the next weeks, because I believe Wolfsburg is the clear favourite and the better team.

Standings and other matchday results

The point left Wolfsburg on eight points from four matches, while Cottbus reached four points following two previous league defeats. Elsewhere in 2. Bundesliga action, league leaders 1. FC Nürnberg drew 2-2 away to Holstein Kiel. Adam Markhiev gave Nürnberg the lead in the 41st minute before Phil Harres and Adrian Kapralik put Kiel ahead. Piet Scobel equalised in the 56th minute, leaving Miroslav Klose's team on ten points after four matches, their best league start in 26 years.

1. FC Kaiserslautern defeated SV Darmstadt 98 3-0 at the Betzenberg in front of 45,508 spectators. Mario Sauer scored in the 43rd minute, followed by an own goal from Raoul Petretta in the 64th minute and a stoppage-time goal by Mergim Berisha (90+5). Darmstadt's Lance Duijvestijn had previously hit the crossbar with a 29th-minute penalty. Kaiserslautern moved to eight points, while Darmstadt remained at the bottom of the table.