Wolfsburg’s hopes of staying in the Bundesliga were shattered in dramatic fashion on Monday evening as Paderborn secured a 2-1 extra-time victory in the relegation playoff second leg. The match, which ended 0-0 after the first leg, saw the Wolves fall to a historic relegation for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

The game began brightly for Wolfsburg, with Dzenan Pejcinovic putting them ahead just three minutes in after a clever assist from Adam Daghim. However, Joakim Maehle’s reckless challenges—two yellow cards in the first 14 minutes—completely shifted the momentum in Paderborn’s favor. Maehle’s dismissals left Wolfsburg with ten men, and their defensive frailties were soon exposed.

Paderborn equalized on the stroke of halftime through Filip Bilbija, who rose unmarked to head in a precise corner delivery. Despite holding a numerical advantage, Wolfsburg struggled to regain control, and Paderborn dominated the second half with 31 shots before extra time.

With Christian Eriksen and Lovro Majer unavailable, Wolfsburg’s midfield lacked creativity, and their defense cracked under pressure. In the 99th minute of extra time, Laurin Curda exploited a defensive lapse to slot home the winner, leaving Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Kamil Grabara stranded.

The defeat marks the end of an era for Wolfsburg, who will compete in the 2.Bundesliga next season for the first time since nearly 30 years ago. Meanwhile, Paderborn have completed an incredible comeback, securing promotion to the top flight for the first time since 2019-20.