Michael Olise wonder goal sinks Wolfsburg and takes survival race to final day

Michael Olise delivered a moment of brilliance to seal a narrow victory for Bayern Munich, edging VfL Wolfsburg 1-0 and leaving the hosts’ Bundesliga survival hopes hanging by a thread ahead of the final round of fixtures.

With the title already secured, Bayern arrived at the Volkswagen Arena with little riding on the result, particularly after their recent UEFA Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain.

Yet, Vincent Kompany’s side approached the contest with intensity, ensuring Wolfsburg were denied any early advantage in a high-tempo opening.

The hosts, battling to avoid relegation, nearly made the perfect start when Vinícius Souza forced a sharp reflex save from goalkeeper Jonas Urbig at close range. At the other end, Wolfsburg’s Kamil Grabara was equally alert, denying Jamal Musiala before watching a fierce strike from Tom Bischof crash against the woodwork.

The game’s defining early moment arrived in the 36th minute when Bayern were awarded a penalty after Olise was fouled. However, Harry Kane failed to convert, slipping at the crucial moment and sending his effort wide in a rare miss from the spot.

Wolfsburg sensed an opportunity to seize control and pushed forward, only to be thwarted by Urbig, who produced two vital saves to deny Denis Vavro and Christian Eriksen in quick succession.

Despite Bayern’s dominance in possession, the first half ended goalless, much to Wolfsburg’s encouragement. That optimism, however, was short-lived.

Just before the hour mark, Olise produced the decisive moment. Picking up possession on the right flank, the French winger skipped past his marker with quick footwork before cutting inside and unleashing a sublime curling effort that struck the underside of the crossbar before nestling in the net. It was a strike of the highest quality and ultimately the difference between the two sides.

Wolfsburg struggled to recreate their earlier attacking threat as the game wore on, with Bayern managing proceedings effectively. Their best chance of salvaging a result came late on when Mattias Svanberg broke through on goal, but his low effort clipped the post, summing up a frustrating evening for the home side.

The defeat leaves Wolfsburg entrenched in the relegation play-off position, level on points with St. Pauli. With survival now set to be decided on the final day, their meeting promises to be a decisive and high-stakes encounter.