Wolfsburg came from a goal down to overwhelm Manchester United and end the English side’s 100% record in the Women’s Champions League this season.
In a frantic first half, Fridolina Rolfo’s 14th-minute opener – her third goal in as many games in the competition – put United ahead against her former club.
But her fine header was cancelled out just three minutes later as Wolfsburg’s Ella Peddemors capitalised on a mix-up between visiting goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel and captain Maya le Tissier.
An unintentional goal from Peddemors put the hosts in front in the 37th minute, with her delivery into the box evading everyone before squeezing past Middleton-Patel at the far post.
Lineth Beerensteyn rifled home a third for the hosts in the 45th minute, but Melvine Malard gave United hope by replying in first-half stoppage time.
However, Marc Skinner’s side struggled to match the She-Wolves’ intensity and Beerensteyn claimed her second, and her side’s fourth in the 65th minute.
The Dutch forward shrugged off Julia Zigiotti Olme before sweeping a strike through the legs of Le Tissier and past Middleton-Patel.
United’s defensive failings were again highlighted in added time when Jayde Riviere played a sloppy back-pass and Vivien Endemann latched on to it and rounded the keeper to slot home Wolfsburg’s fifth goal.
“We have to learn from our mistakes because this is not good enough,” Rolfo told Disney+ after the game.
“Defensively we struggled a lot. They could play through us too easy and we could not find our way back, so we struggled a lot.”
It was a chastening night for United, who had won their opening three games in their debut Champions League campaign, impressing against Valerenga, Atletico Madrid and particularly Paris St-Germain at Old Trafford last week.
But they dropped down to the fourth and final automatic qualification spot for the quarter-finals with this loss.
Two-time winners Wolfsburg replaced United in third spot, although they both have nine points, and Chelsea could leapfrog them if they beat second-placed Barcelona on Thursday.
