Match ends, VfL Wolfsburg 3, Sport-Club Freiburg 0.
WolfsburgVfL Wolfsburg3FreiburgSC Freiburg0
Kevin De Bruyne scored one goal and made two to help second-placed Wolfsburg to a Bundesliga win over relegation-threatened Freiburg.
The former Chelsea midfielder struck a well-taken 19th-minute opener.
Felix Klaus and Oliver Sorg had chances to equalise, before De Bruyne won a penalty, scored by Ricardo Rodriguez.
The Belgium international then set up Maximilian Arnold to complete a victory that leaves Wolfsburg 11 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
Dieter Hecking's side are unlikely to catch Bayern, who won 4-0 at Werder Bremen on Saturday, but are well on course to qualify for next season's Champions League group stages without the need for a play-off.
Wolfsburg, who need to finish in the top three to do that, are 11 points ahead of third-placed Bayer Leverkusen, and 12 clear of Borussia Monchengladbach in fourth.
De Bruyne, who scored twice in Thursday's 3-1 Europa League round-of-16 first-leg win over Inter Milan, was the key to their fifth successive home league win.
He took advantage of Freiburg defender Marc Torrejon's slip and cut inside from the left to beat keeper Roman Burki at his near post with a low shot.
Bas Dost and De Bruyne missed chances to extend the lead before half-time, and the home fans' anxiety increased as Wolfsburg failed to make their superiority count.
There were nervous moments for them in the second half as Klaus hit a shot just wide, and Sorg forced a save out of keeper Diego Benaglio.
But Wolfsburg, beaten 1-0 at Augsburg in their last league match, ensured there would be no slip-up this time when De Bruyne ran wide on to a through-pass and was brought down by the onrushing Burki.
Switzerland left-back Rodriguez sent the keeper the wrong way from the resulting penalty for his first Bundesliga goal since September.
Substitute Arnold turned in De Bruyne's low cross in the final minutes to leave Freiburg in the relegation zone.
Line-ups
Wolfsburg
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Benaglio
- 15Träsch
- 5Klose
- 31Knoche
- 34Rodriguez
- 23Guilavogui
- 22Dias
- 8Vieira de FreitasSubstituted forArnoldat 79'minutes
- 14De Bruyne
- 7CaligiuriSubstituted forSchürrleat 83'minutes
- 12DostSubstituted forBendtnerat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Bendtner
- 4Schäfer
- 9Perisic
- 17Schürrle
- 20Grün
- 24Jung
- 27Arnold
Freiburg
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Bürki
- 22Riether
- 3TorrejónBooked at 18minsSubstituted forHöhnat 45'minutes
- 15Mitrovic
- 30Günter
- 36KlausSubstituted forSchahinat 83'minutes
- 25Sorg
- 7DaridaSubstituted forHöflerat 45'minutes
- 17Schmid
- 14Mehmedi
- 8Frantz
Substitutes
- 2Krmas
- 11Schahin
- 21Mielitz
- 24Mujdza
- 27Höfler
- 31Guédé
- 41Höhn
- Referee:
- Sascha Stegemann
- Attendance:
- 26,538
Match Stats
Home TeamWolfsburgAway TeamFreiburg
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home25
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, VfL Wolfsburg 3, Sport-Club Freiburg 0.
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Timm Klose (VfL Wolfsburg) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Dani Schahin (Sport-Club Freiburg).
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Christian Träsch (VfL Wolfsburg) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Nicolas Höfler (Sport-Club Freiburg).
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Corner, Sport-Club Freiburg. Conceded by Diego Benaglio.
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Attempt saved. Dani Schahin (Sport-Club Freiburg) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jonathan Schmid.
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Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (VfL Wolfsburg) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by André Schürrle following a fast break.
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Foul by Timm Klose (VfL Wolfsburg).
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Dani Schahin (Sport-Club Freiburg) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! VfL Wolfsburg 3, Sport-Club Freiburg 0. Maximilian Arnold (VfL Wolfsburg) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne following a fast break.
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Foul by Nicklas Bendtner (VfL Wolfsburg).
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Stefan Mitrovic (Sport-Club Freiburg) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, VfL Wolfsburg. André Schürrle replaces Daniel Caligiuri.
Substitution
Substitution, Sport-Club Freiburg. Dani Schahin replaces Felix Klaus.
Substitution
Substitution, VfL Wolfsburg. Nicklas Bendtner replaces Bas Dost.
Substitution
Substitution, VfL Wolfsburg. Maximilian Arnold replaces Vieirinha.
Goal!
Goal! VfL Wolfsburg 2, Sport-Club Freiburg 0. Ricardo Rodriguez (VfL Wolfsburg) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the top right corner.
Post update
Penalty VfL Wolfsburg. Kevin De Bruyne draws a foul in the penalty area.
