Wolfsburg 1 : 1 Lille OSC - Enyeama display frustrates Wolves
Posted Friday, October 03, 2014 by PA
Wolfsburg were frustrated by an inspired display from Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and some awful finishing as they were held to a 1-1 draw in their Europa League clash in Germany.
The Bundesliga side, looking to bounce back from a 4-1 mauling at Everton in their opening Group H match, dominated play and carved out a host of chances only to find Enyeama in imperious form.
They were made to pay for those misses when Ricardo Rodriguez, who had scored an own goal at Goodison Park, handled the ball in the area with 15 minutes left and Belgium striker Divock Origi scored from the spot.
Kevin De Bruyne equalised with a stunning 25-yard volley with eight minutes remaining, but this was most definitely two points dropped for the hosts, who remained bottom of the pool. Both sides are still without a win after two games, though.
Wolfsburg's players had been instructed to take the game to Lille from the off, but, despite controlling play, they lacked urgency early on.
The best move of the half came in the 16th minute when Sebastian Jung's cross from the right was met at the near post by Ivan Perisic with a side-foot volley which was acrobatically, if routinely, tipped over the top by Enyeama.
Lille, who drew with Krasnodar in their opener, were offering little by way of attacking threat, but the onus was on the home side.
The Wolves almost found a way through when Jung, marauding forward from full-back, was played in down the right, but he took his shot early when he might have had another touch and Enyeama made the save.
Wolfsburg upped the tempo after half-time and Enyeama came to his side's rescue again within minutes, flinging himself to his left to push away a 25-yard curler from Josuha Guilavogui which was headed for the corner of the net.
Perisic brought another stop out of the visiting keeper in the 53rd minute with a near-post effort from a De Bruyne corner.
The Croatian had his clearest opening seven minutes later, going through on goal after being incorrectly ruled onside, but once again he could not beat Enyeama, who pushed away his low shot.
Nicklas Bendtner, on as a substitute for Olic, then blasted a shot into the side-netting when she should have shot across goal.
The former Arsenal man had an even better chance moments later, taking a pass and wriggling free of his marker before producing a finish Gunners fans grew all too familiar with, slamming his shot high over the top.
Vieirinha was then culpable as he drove a low shot wide from inside the area.
The Wolves were undone in the 75th minute when Rodriguez was penalised for a handball in blocking Sebastien Corchia's shot.
Origi, on loan from Liverpool, took responsibility for the penalty and buried it low into the left corner, with Diego Benaglio guessing right but not getting there.
Nolan Roux should have made it two when a low cross from the left found him one-on-one barely six yards out, but he somehow contrived to fire wide when it seemed easier to score.
And that proved costly moments later as De Bruyne thundered a glorious volley into the roof of the net after Simon Kjaer had cleared a Rodriguez corner.
The Germans pushed on in search of a winner, but it would not come, with Enyeama fittingly producing one last moment of brilliance to deny them.
Rodriguez's corner picked out Naldo, whose fierce header was parried away by the keeper.
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