Last Saturday, Wolfsburg secured their playoff spot with a crucial 3-1 victory at Sankt Pauli, while Paderborn sealed their third-place finish in the 2.Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Darmstadt, aided by Hannover’s draw against Nuremberg.

Paderborn started brightly

The visitors made a strong impression early on, pressing aggressively and creating the best chance of the first half from a corner, forcing Kamil Grabara into a stunning double save. However, the hosts gradually took control, with Christian Eriksen marshaling the midfield to dictate the tempo.

Wolfsburg’s dominance

Wolfsburg controlled the game with 63% possession and 15 shots, but lacked the cutting edge to break down Paderborn’s compact defense. At halftime, the scoreboard already read eight shots to one in their favor, and the pressure continued in the second period with relentless pressing and multiple entries into the opposition box.

Despite their dominance, Wolfsburg failed to convert their chances. The frustration grew as the game drew to a close, with Paderborn reducing their opponents to ten men in stoppage time following Jonah Sticker’s red card. The visitors held firm to preserve the scoreless draw, leaving everything to play for in the second leg.