Wolfsburg have taken a big step towards securing another season of Bundesliga football thanks to a 3-1 win over Holstein Kiel in the first leg of their relegation playoff at the Volkswagen Arena.
The hosts began brightly and took the lead on 13 minutes when Divock Origi slotted home on the rebound after Kenneth Kronholm had kept out Renato Steffen's initial shot.
However, Bundesliga 2 side Kiel equalised against the run of play in the 34th minute, Kingsley Schindler scoring from six yards out after latching on to Dominick Drexler's cutback from the byline.
Parity lasted just six minutes as Josip Brekalo met Origi's knockdown with a ferocious 18-yard strike that Kronholm could only help into the back of the net.
Wolfsburg then added a third just before the hour as Origi held off three Kiel challenges before threading the ball into the path of Yunus Malli, who rounded the goalkeeper and tapped into an empty goal.
The second leg of the Bundesliga relegation playoff takes place at the Holstein-Stadion on Monday night.
WOLFSBURG (4-2-3-1): Casteels; William, Brooks, Knoche, Uduokhai; Guilavogui, Arnold; Brejalo, Malli (Camacho 86'), Steffen (Blaszczykowski 81'); Origi (Dimata 90+1')
HOLSTEIN KIEL (4-1-4-1): Kronholm; Herrmann, Schmidt, Czichos, Van den Bergh; Kinsombi; Schindler, Peitz (Muhling 62'), Drexler, Lewerenz (Seydel 62'); Ducksch
Giuseppe Labellarte
