Double joy for Marin Pongracic as Wolfsburg stun Bayer Leverkusen
by ReutersLEVERKUSEN: Croatian Marin Pongracic scored his first two Bundesliga goals as VfL Wolfsburg romped to a surprise 4-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, boosting their hopes of playing in European competition next season.
Leverkusen slipped one place down to fifth on 53 points from 28 games, while Wolfsburg stayed sixth on 42 points and on course to clinch a Europa League qualifying berth.
Pongracic headed the visitors into a 43rd-minute lead when he met a Maximilian Arnold free kick from the right as Wolfsburg dominated the opening half, with Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky denying Joao Victor early on.
Hradecky pulled off two more fine saves shortly after the break but was powerless to stop the rout as goals by Arnold and Renato Steffen made it 3-0 before Pongracic put the icing on the cake with a glancing header.
News in Brief
Halftime substitute Julian Baumgartlinger scored a late consolation for the home side when he swept in a loose ball from close range.