Freiburg dent Wolfsburg hopes

Wolfsburg's hopes of playing in the Champions League next season suffered a setback as they were held 2-2 by Freiburg.

Wolfsburg's hopes of playing in the Champions League next season suffered a setback as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Freiburg, who practically secured their top-flight status. Ivan Perisic scored twice for the Wolves, but Admir Mehmedi and Marco Terrazzino replied for Christian Streich's men, who will be guaranteed their place in the Bundesliga next season if Hamburg fail to win at Augsburg on Sunday. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, are now reliant on Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke dropping points if they are to stay in the chase for a top-four finish. It did not take Wolfsburg long to deliver on the promise, or at least the hope, of coach Dieter Hecking to continue their push for a place in the Champions League next season. Perisic headed Ricardo Rodriguez's free-kick into the top left-hand corner from close to the penalty spot to give the hosts an ideal start at the VW-Arena. With Freiburg struggling to cope for much of the first 20 minutes, Wolfsburg continued to assert themselves on the game but were unable to add to their goal, thanks largely to Freiburg's coveted goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. With their first attack, Freiburg almost levelled with Vladimir Darida's shot rattling the crossbar from 25 yards. Wolfsburg were not to be knocked off their rhythm, though, and they were unfortunate not to take a two-goal lead into the break when Julian Schuster turned Kevin De Bruyne's cross just inches wide of his own goal. Freiburg levelled on the hour mark when Mehmedi caught Diego Benaglio out with a shot inside his near post from just inside the penalty area. The hosts responded and, within 10 minutes, they were back in front when Christian Trasch's low cross was turned in on the edge of the six-yard line by Perisic with the off-balance Baumann unable to respond. Mehmedi had the chance to level immediately, but his effort was headed off the line by Trasch with stranded Benaglio out of his goal. But Terrazino finished off another counter-attack by placing the ball into the far corner, stunning the home fans and dropping Wolfsburg back down to fifth. Hecking's men tried again to regain the lead, but Perisic was denied his hat-trick and a winner on the counter by Baumann, who secured Freiburg a point which could prove decisive for them.