The match began brightly for the Wolves. Within just three minutes, Dzenan Pejcinovic capitalized on a precise pass from Adam Daghim to put Wolfsburg ahead. However, the advantage was short-lived. Joakim Maehle’s reckless challenges—two yellow cards within four minutes—turned the tide against his team.

Despite being reduced to ten men, Wolfsburg held firm for much of the first half. But Paderborn equalized just before halftime, with Filip Bilbija’s diving header from a long corner restoring parity at 1-1. The second half saw relentless pressure from Paderborn, who unleashed 31 shots before extra time—yet failed to break through Wolfsburg’s resilient defense.

In the dying moments of the match, Laurin Curda’s solo run down the left flank created the decisive moment. Unmarked in the box, he had all the time in the world to slot past Kamil Grabara, who had stood between Wolfsburg and defeat all evening. The 99th-minute strike sealed Paderborn’s historic victory and Wolfsburg’s relegation.

For Wolfsburg, a club that had spent decades in the top flight, this marks a humiliating fall from grace. Christian Eriksen and his teammates will now compete in the 2.Bundesliga next season, a first in nearly 30 years. Meanwhile, Paderborn’s players will savor their triumph, securing promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time since 2019-20.