Wolfsburg 0-1 Holstein Kiel Player Ratings: Bernhardsson Rated 8/10 as His Penalty Decided Tense DFB Pokal Clash

A moment of madness and a coolly converted penalty were all that separated the sides in this DFB Pokal encounter. Holstein Kiel emerged as deserved 1-0 victors over a ten-man VfL Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena. From our perspective, the entire complexion of the match changed in a chaotic five-minute spell before half-time.

Wolfsburg looked disjointed even before the dismissal. But the red card for Jenson Seelt for a second yellow card offense in the 36th minute was a self-inflicted wound they never recovered from. Shortly after, Vinicius de Souza Costa clumsily brought down A. Kaprálik in the box, and Alexander Bernhardsson made no mistake from the spot. It was a decisive blow.

What stood out to us was how composed Holstein Kiel were after taking the lead. They managed the game professionally, restricting Wolfsburg to half-chances and shots from distance. Despite a late flurry from the home side, Kiel held firm to secure a memorable cup upset and advance to the next round, leaving Wolfsburg to rue their indiscipline.

Here are Wolfsburg Vs Holstein Kiel Player Ratings

Wolfsburg Player Ratings vs Holstein Kiel

Here are Wolfsburg Player Ratings vs Holstein Kiel

Goalkeeper

Marius Müller - 6.5: Couldn't do much about the penalty, it was hit with real conviction. He made a couple of necessary saves to keep his team in the contest and his distribution was solid. Got a yellow card for his protests on the penalty call, which showed his frustration.

Defenders

Saël Kumbedi - 6.0: A busy evening for the right-back. He tried to get forward and provided an outlet, even getting a shot on target. However, he was dribbled past a couple of times and committed a few fouls in dangerous areas. A mixed performance overall.

Jenson Seelt - 3.5: A disastrous outing that cost his team the game. Getting two yellow cards in just 36 minutes is simply unforgivable at this level. His second foul was rash and unnecessary, leaving his teammates with a mountain to climb. Easily the worst performer on the pitch.

Konstantinos Koulierakis - 6.0: Had a lot to do after the red card and coped reasonably well under pressure. He was strong in his duels winning all of them. However, he missed a massive chance, a sitter from a few yards out, that could have rescued a draw for his team late on.

Aaron Zehnter - 5.5: Picked up a very early yellow card which seemed to limit his effectiveness. He was tidy in possession but offered little going forward before being substituted. We noticed he played it safe for most of his time on the pitch, likely wary of a second booking.

Midfielders

Vinicius de Souza Costa - 5.0: A night to forget. The midfielder's clumsy challenge gave away the decisive penalty that ultimately sealed his team's fate. Beyond that colossal error, he was combative but ineffective, losing the key midfield battle before being subbed off.

Maximilian Arnold - 7.0: The captain tried his best to drag his team back into the game. He was all over the pitch, creating three chances and putting in a real shift defensively with five clearances. It felt like he was fighting a losing battle, especially after his side went down to ten men.

Andreas Skov Olsen - 5.5: A very quiet 45 minutes for the midfielder. He barely got into the game, with only 18 touches before being hooked at halftime. A tactical change was needed after the red card and he was the unfortunate casualty.

Christian Eriksen - 6.5: Sprayed the ball around nicely and created a few decent openings with his passing range. However, he couldn't find that killer ball to unlock the stubborn Kiel defense. From our perspective, he looked a bit frustrated as the game wore on.

Mohamed Amoura - 6.5: A bundle of energy but lacked the final product. He was caught offside four times, which killed several promising attacks. While he won all his tackles and created a big chance, his decision-making let him down in crucial moments.

Forwards

Dzenan Pejcinovic - 6.0: Looked lively in the first half and was a strong aerial presence. He had a couple of shots off target but was sacrificed at halftime as part of the tactical reshuffle following the red card. An unfortunate end to his evening.

Substitutes

Adam Daghim - 6.0: Came on at halftime and showed some good energy but couldn't make a real impact.

Patrick Wimmer - 5.5: Was brought on to provide a spark but ended up getting a yellow card for a frustrated foul.

Joakim Mæhle - 6.0: Provided more defensive stability than Zehnter when he came on.

Bence Dárdai - N/A: Came on too late to influence the game.

Manager

P. Simonis - 5.0: His team showed a complete lack of discipline in the first half, which is ultimately on the manager. The tactical changes after the red card were logical, but Wolfsburg never looked like they had a clear plan to get back into the game against a well-organized opponent.

Holstein Kiel Player Ratings vs Wolfsburg

Here are Holstein Kiel Player Ratings vs Wolfsburg

Goalkeeper

Timon Weiner - 7.5: A very solid performance from the Kiel keeper. He made two important saves and commanded his area well, including a good high claim. His clean sheet was well-deserved and crucial for the victory.

Defenders

David Zec - 7.0: A reliable presence at the back. He was tidy in possession and won his duels. Picked up a yellow card but was otherwise composed and helped nullify the Wolfsburg attack.

Carl Johansson - 7.0: An absolute rock at the heart of the defense. Made five crucial clearances and was almost perfect with his passing. He read the game superbly and was a key reason for the clean sheet.

Marco Komenda - 7.5: Excellent performance from the defender. He was strong in the tackle and comfortable on the ball, even creating a big chance. He picked up a booking but that didn't stop him from being aggressive and effective throughout the match.

Midfielders

Lasse Rosenboom - 7.0: A very lively display on the wing. He was a constant threat, firing off three shots and putting in some dangerous crosses. He worked hard defensively too, contributing to a great team effort before being substituted.

Magnus Knudsen - 6.5: A steady and controlled performance in midfield. He kept the ball moving with a high pass accuracy and put in the hard yards defensively. He did his job quietly but effectively.

Stefan Schwab - 7.0: A real engine room performance. Schwab recovered the ball eight times and was a disruptive force in the middle of the park. He used his experience to manage the game, especially after his team took the lead.

John Tolkin - 6.5: Delivered a mixed bag. He put in a whopping ten crosses but his final ball was often lacking. He worked hard up and down the flank but was sometimes caught out of position.

Forwards

Alexander Bernhardsson - 8.0: The clear man of the match. He showed immense composure to slot home the winning penalty under pressure. Beyond the goal, he was Kiel's main creative spark, creating three chances for his teammates. A captain's performance.

A. Kaprálik - 7.5: Caused Wolfsburg problems all evening. His clever movement and dribbling won the decisive penalty, a game-changing contribution. He drew five fouls in total, highlighting how much of a nuisance he was to the opposition defense.

Jonas Therkelsen - 7.0: A tireless runner who contributed at both ends of the pitch. He won a high percentage of his duels and had a couple of decent chances himself. What stood out to us was his work rate off the ball.

Substitutes

Ivan Nekic - 6.0: Came on and did his defensive duties well to help see out the win.

Phil Harres - 6.0: Provided fresh legs up front and tested the keeper once.

Louis Köster - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Robert Wagner - N/A: Brought on to help secure the midfield in the final minutes.

Marko Ivezic - N/A: A late sub to waste time and see out the game.

Manager

M. Rapp - 8.0: His game plan was executed to perfection. He set his team up to be solid and exploit any Wolfsburg mistakes, which they did. His side was disciplined, organized, and fully deserved the victory against their more fancied opponents.

Sportsdunia's Player of the match is Bernhardsson