Kevin De Bruyne scored twice to give Wolfsburg a 3-1 Europa League round-of-16 first-leg victory over Inter Milan this evening.
Rodrigo Palacio gave Inter the lead after just six minutes after Mauro Icardi's through-ball found the striker, who scored low past goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.
Andre Schurrle then had a chance in the 24th minute, linking up well with Bas Dost, but his shot was straight at Pablo Carrizo.
In the 28th minute, Josuha Guilavogui saw his header tipped over the bar, and Naldo found the target from the resulting corner, heading De Bruyne's cross into the roof of the net.
Wolfsburg dominated the closing stages of the first half, with Vierinha coming close to scoring three minutes later.
Vierinha was denied a goal on the stroke of half time, thanks to a low, diving save from Carrizo.
Wolfsburg continued to push at the start of the second half, with Guilavogui coming close in the 49th minute and Ricardo Rodriguez seeing a shot saved three minutes later.
Palacio had a great chance to give Inter the lead in the 57th minute, after Icardi's cross found him unmarked inside the area, but the Argentine directed the ball over the bar.
Wolfsburg were gifted the lead in the 63rd minute when a poor pass by deputy goalkeeper Carrizo was stolen by Vierinha, who found De Bruyne inside the area and the Belgian slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
De Bruyne added his second with 15 minutes remaining, curling a free kick into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
He could have completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, but drilled his shot wide of the target.
Jonathan McIntosh
