Wimmer’s trivela ends Wolfsburg’s misery as Marie-Louise Eta makes Bundesliga history | OneFootball

Marie-Louise Eta was the headline maker on the day she became the first female head coach in Europe’s top-five leagues. Wolfsburg had a positive start to the game, although Union Berlin were dangerous from set-piece play once again.

However, Patrick Wimmer’s stunning goal in the 11th minute changed the complexion of the game. The Austrian started his run near the middle of the pitch before catching Frederik Rønnow off guard with a delightful trivela from outside the box.

Wimmer also scored in the Hinrunde against Union Berlin, but he was scoreless since netting twice a week later away at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Since those back-to-back victories, Wolfsburg have only had one win from 15 games, which would make them the worst team in the whole of the top-five leagues.

However, there have been signs of improvement under the new coach, Dieter Hecking. The rollercoaster 6-3 defeat in Leverkusen, where they squandered a 3-1 lead, was sandwiched by unfortunate losses at home against Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt.

They struggled to keep their lead on this one as well. Kamil Grabara had to save Ilyas Ansah’s powerful hit, while Danilho Doekhi and Rani Khedira had chances of their own inside the first half-hour.

Suddenly, the visitors resorted to a very defensive shape as Eta’s side started to dominate possession. Rønnow’s first save of the game came from Aaron Zehnter’s effort from a difficult angle after a corner-kick routine.

At the other end, Tom Rothe, who was recalled into the lineup as one of the four changes by Eta, nearly equalized before the break with a superb volley. Ansah had one last chance before the break, but his shot from outside the box missed the target.

Wolfsburg extended their cushion inside the first minute of the second-half as Dzenan Pejcinovic also found the net from outside the box. Ansah tried a similar effort minutes later, but he wasn’t able to find his range.

Doekhi was dispossessed before Wolfsburg’s second goal, and he had another moment where he was furious with himself when he failed to convert Christopher Trimmel’s delightful delivery. Before the hour mark, Union had two more golden opportunities as Andrej Ilić hit the post with a deflected header before Grabara thwarted Doekhi.

The visitors managed to slow down the game for the rest of the half as Union still relied on chances from set-pieces. However, they did get back one from a counterattacking move finished by Oliver Burke, who was scoreless in 2026 until that point.

Grabara provided another excellent save with his leg from Doekhi in injury-time before denying substitute Derrick Köhn for his last stop of a brilliant performance. Rønnow came to attack a last-gasp corner-kick, but Wolfsburg managed to hold on for the big win.

After five successive defeats at Alten Försterei, Wolfsburg finally won away at Union Berlin for the first time in their history. Union produced a much better performance than the one that led to Steffen Baumgart’s sacking in Heidenheim, but they have now lost three of their last four games.

Wolfsburg will stay in the relegation zone, but they will start next week’s game against Borussia Mönchengladbach with renewed hope. Eta’s next test will be against the in-form RB Leipzig side on Friday.