Wolfsburg was staring a home Bundesliga defeat in the face on Saturday afternoon before Kevin Paredes came onto the pitch and led an impressive comeback.
Paredes played the final 30 minutes for Niko Kovac’s squad, assisting on the tying goal in a 2-2 Wolfsburg draw vs. Augsburg. The 19-year-old has continued to earn minutes for the Bundesliga club this season and Saturday’s impactful substitute outing could lead to a larger role this spring.
Wolfsburg was down 2-0 at halftime following a Maximilian Arnold own goal and a Mergim Berisha finish just after the half hour mark. However, the hosts did not lie down and flipped the script in the final minutes of the match.
Paredes drew a free kick in the 83rd minute, which eventually led to Wolfsburg’s first goal of the match. Luca Waldschmidt’s left-footed finish off an Arnold free kick cut Wolfsburg’s deficit in half and gave the hosts a needed boost for the final moments.
Paredes created room in the 96th minute to deliver a cross into the Augsburg box, watching as Felix Nmecha headed home for a 2-2 draw.
The former D.C. United homegrown now has one goal and three assists for Wolfsburg this season, with just 378 minutes of action under his belt. Paredes recently featured for the U.S. Under-20 men’s national team in its latest string of matches before the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Wolfsburg’s 2-2 draw keeps them only two points back of the final European qualification spot in the Bundesliga table. Up next is a trip to Borussia Moenchengladbach on April 9.