Dzeko leads Wolfsburg’s Europe charge

(GSM) – VfL Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko has targeted a return to European competition after the defending Bundesliga champions rode came out of Nurnberg with a 2-0 win on Sunday.

The Wolves were second best for long periods but Dzeko’s 19th goal of the season and a 78th-minute effort from his strike partner Grafite handed the side all three points.

Bosnia-Herzegovina international Dzeko admitted the better side had lost, however.

He said: “Nurnberg were the better team throughout the whole match, but we have scored two goals and that is what counts.”

The win quickly erased the disappointment of Thursday’s Europa League elimination to Fulham and Dzeko now wants to ensure more European football is on the agenda for next season.

“We are aiming for sixth place,” he added.

That appears a long shot with Lorenz-Gunther Kostner’s men currently in eighth, five points adrift of sixth-placed Werder Bremen.

But their fate appears to be in their own hands since they face three of their rivals for Europe – Bremen, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt – in their remaining four matches.

Nurnberg are battling to remain in the top flight. The defeat – their 16th of the season – left them just a point and two places above the relegation play-off spot.

And coach Dieter Hecking failed to contain his frustration at his side’s inability to secure at least a share of the spoils.

“We don’t like the taste of this defeat at all,” he said. “We were by far the better team in the second half.”