VfL Wolfsburg's 2015 cup win: One-night stand

Shortly before kick-off, the camera zoomed in close to Dieter Hecking's face. And with every inch, the coach underwent a transformation: the last time I had seen so much Stefan Effenberg-esque, well, Stefan Effenberg. Even Hecking's cheek muscles radiated such determination and confidence as their owner chewed that I got goosebumps. I haven't seen that from a pair of cheek muscles in a long time. It's clear: Dieter Hecking hadn't had the slightest doubt before or during this final that his team would win. In comparison, his opponent's usual wide-open, mad eyes and bared teeth seemed astonishingly fake. Like two boxers facing off before the first bell. One post, one means it. Dieter Hecking meant it very seriously. And that was extremely impressive.

His team therefore had no choice but to play football the way Dieter Hecking had envisioned it. The coach would probably have eaten any deviants alive on Saturday. The way VfL pulled themselves together after conceding an early goal and got the game under control after 20 minutes at the latest was very impressive. Of course, the team on the pitch was a squad that had been bought together for a lot of money. But eleven expensive individual players do not make a team, and on Saturday Wolfsburg offered one of the most spectacular team performances of the past season. A superbly coordinated defense, led by goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, center back Naldo and Luiz Gustavo in the six, the inventive midfield, dominated as has been the case most of this season by Kevin de Bruyne, and the one-man gun Bas Dost up front - anyone who loves a good football game was bound to fall in love with VfL Wolfsburg for a moment on Saturday evening. The climax of this comedy was Dost's 3-1 goal. Ivan Perišić had won the ball and played it to Dost, who brought the ball back to Perišić with a wonderful direct shot, and he finally flicked a cross onto the head of his congenial partner in this move.