VfL Wolfsburg's race to catch up in the Bundesliga has stopped for the time being.

In the third game with Max Kruse, the wolves lost 2-1 (1-0) against European Cup contenders TSG Hoffenheim and, after two wins, conceded bankruptcy for the first time with their new attacker.

Wolfsburg took the lead with a remarkable flick from newcomer Jonas Wind (36th).

But substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen with a side kick (74th) and Andrej Kramaric (78th), who had recovered from Corona, turned the game in the final phase in favor of Hoffenheim.

The Kraichgauer landed their second success in a row, in the fight for the Champions League, the team of coach Sebastian Hoeneß passed RB Leipzig, at least temporarily.

Both teams played a lively game in front of 7145 spectators in Wolfsburg, in which the hosts initially set the tone.

With the self-confidence of the last two wins, the Wolfsburg team, unchanged compared to the Frankfurt game (2-0) under coach Florian Kohfeldt, started with a lot of speed.

The double punishment

Although Kruse and Co. initially reaped little in the form of goal chances, despite great effort and a lot of ball possession, the lead ten minutes before the break was deserved.

The Hoffenheim team, in which top attacker Andrej Kramaric was able to play again after his second corona infection, acted surprisingly passively.

Hardly anything went forward from the game in the first section, so that the greatest chance came about after a standard situation.

After a free-kick from the center line, Ihlas Bebou suddenly found himself free-standing.

However, Maximilian Arnold saved his first attempt just before the line, then the TSG striker shot over it (13').

In the second half, the guests then took over the command.

Wolfsburg now let themselves be pushed far into their own half – and were punished twice in the closing stages.

First Bruun Larsen hit from five meters with a side kick, then Kramaric pushed a Bruun Larsen cross over the line from close range.

Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann thwarted the greatest VfL chance to equalize when he parried a wind header (81st).