Wolfsburg boosted their survival prospects with a 2-1 win over bottom club Borussia Monchengladbach.
Brazilian atones for penalty miss with first-half brace
Wolfsburg boosted their Bundesliga survival prospects with a battling 2-1 home win over bottom club Borussia Monchengladbach.
Diego smashed a 29th minute penalty over the bar for Wolfsburg before the Brazilian schemer made amends by scoring twice before half-time.
Filip Daems' penalty gave Gladbach hope with 15 minutes to go, but the hosts held on to end a four-match losing streak.
Wolfsburg were dominant from the outset, Cicero shooting just wide before Dieudonne Mbokani headed against the bar.
Borussia goalkeeper Logan Bailey parried a shot from Diego with Mbokani sending the follow-up wide before the visitors managed a shot, Mohammadou Idrissou heading into Marwin Hitz's arms.
Pierre Littbarski's side then had the chance to go ahead when Sascha Reither was brought down by Juan Arango, but Diego sent the spot-kick well over.
Borussia almost took advantage, Marco Reus squaring to the onrushing Roman Neustader but his left-footed shot went high and wide.
Full control
Three minutes later Wolfsburg were ahead. Reither rolled the ball across the box which Mbokani dummied for Diego to slot home.
Diego then scored his second when he whipped an excellent free-kick into the net as the hosts took full control.
However, with quarter of an hour remaining Gladbach reduced the deficit when the referee decided Jan Polak had fouled Mike Hanke when he climbed above him and Daems converted the penalty.
Reus forced Hitz to tip over before the hosts had a goal disallowed when Simon Kjaer was deemed to have pulled down Daems.
Martin Stranzl inexplicably missed from five yards for the visitors while replays showed Wolfsburg's Arne Friedrich had also handled.
Gladbach then passed up a great chance to level when Hitz dropped a cross only for Hanke to hit the ball straight at the Wolfsburg goalkeeper.
