WOLFSBURG, Germany — In a thrilling Bundesliga clash on Friday, Holstein Kiel, struggling to avoid relegation, managed to secure a last-minute equalizer against Wolfsburg, resulting in a 2-2 draw. This outcome marked an end to Kiel’s five-match losing streak in away games.

Wolfsburg had entered the match boasting a remarkable record of 40 goals in their first 18 matches. However, they faced a challenging first half and found themselves trailing when David Zec scored with a header in the 13th minute.

To shift momentum, Wolfsburg’s coach, Ralph Hasenhüttl, made a strategic change, bringing in Patrick Wimmer at halftime. Wimmer made an immediate impact, scoring only five minutes into the second half by calmly slotting the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper after being set up by Jonas Wind.

Just three minutes later, Wind became the scorer himself, converting a header from a corner kick to put Wolfsburg in the lead. However, the tides turned as Marcel Rapp, the Kiel coach, also made significant changes during the second half, including giving a debut to American recruit John Tolkin.

Despite trailing, it was one of the substitutes, Steven Skrzybski, who provided a glimmer of hope for Kiel. In the 80th minute, Skrzybski found the net with a precise shot that slipped between the goalkeeper and the near post, leveling the score against the flow of play.

Although Kiel remains in the second-to-last position, they now sit two points clear of last-placed Bochum. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg climbed one spot to sixth in the standings.

Before the match began, players from both teams gathered to hold a banner reading “WeRemember,” honoring the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945. This annual gesture by German clubs serves as a solemn reminder of the individuals who lost their lives at the hands of the Nazi regime.