Wolfsburg advances past Villarreal
Wolfsburg beat Villarreal 4-1 to advance to the last 16 of the
Europa League on Thursday.
Edin Dzeko, an own goal from Angel Lopez, Christian Gentner
and Grafite scored for the German champion for a 6-3 aggregate win.
Joan Capdevila scored the consolation goal for the Spanish
side in the second-leg match.
Wolfsburg let Villarreal have more possession early in the
game but the German club had the first chance when Dzeko missed the
target from just six meters (yards) out.
But Wolfsburg scored four minutes later when Josue
intercepted a pass intended for Robert Pires and passed to Dzeko,
who beat the offside trap and then struck the ball under the
crossbar.
Five minutes later, Wolfsburg doubled its lead after an own
goal by Lopez, whose attempt to clear a cross from Grafite ended in
his own net.
Capdevila pulled one back for Villareal on the half hour
mark, rising at the far post to meet a corner from Marcos Senna and
heading the ball home off the underside of the crossbar.
Christian Gentner restored Wolfsburg's two-goal advantage
three minutes before halftime and Grafite made it 4-1 in the 64th,
prodding home a free kick from Zvjezdan Misimovic.