Thrown to the Wolves. VfL Wolfsburg v Everton FC, 27/11/2014.

In the 22nd minute at the Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg’s Kevin De Bruyne plays a low cross into the Everton box, Nicklas Bendtner flicks the ball on and Ivan Perisic slots it past Tim Howard and into the back of the net. The home support celebrate. Sat amongst the Wolfsburg fans, a particularly jubilant supporter to my left turns to me and raises a hand ready to give me a high five. There’s a very awkward split second as I make no attempt to return the gesture. Not because I’ve anything against high fives, but because I am actually an Everton fan.

When the fixture was announced three months earlier, I knew I had to get a ticket. Having travelled to Germany to watch football seven times in the last year, the opportunity to see the team I support play against a Bundesliga side was one I didn’t intend to miss out on. Despite being an Everton season ticket holder, I knew my chance of getting a ticket in the away end was slim to none, so instead I was forced to buy one in with the home supporters.

Thankfully for me and Everton, the referee’s whistle comes to our rescue. The linesman has raised his flag, so the fan must lower his arm. Offside is the call and the goal is disallowed. It’s been a frantic start to the game. Real end to end stuff. On another day, there could have already been four goals. For the home side, De Bruyne and Perisic seem to be involved in everything, the latter in particular being on the end of several moves, but always unable to find the finish (apart from for the disallowed goal which, having watched it again later, was wrongly ruled out). For Everton, a Samuel Eto’o run ends in a shot curled wide, but their best chance comes from a corner. Luke Garbutt, playing in place of the injured Leighton Baines, curls the ball over to the far post, finding an unmarked Sylvain Distin whose downward header bounces up and hits the crossbar before Bendtner can put it behind for another corner.

The longer the half goes on, the more possession Wolfsburg have. Although, much like during the previous game in September, they struggle to create any clear cut chances and are reduced to long shots, which Howard in the Everton goal deals with relatively easily, or crosses that fail to find their target. The away side seem happy to defend and then counter attack quickly. So often this season, it’s been Everton who have dominated possession, but lacked the cutting edge to break a well disciplined side down. Tonight, the roles are reversed.

Minutes before halftime, a Wolfsburg corner comes to nothing and some quick passing on the edge of the box between Aiden McGeady and Leon Osman, on for the injured James McCarthy, sees the ball reach Kevin Mirallas, whose flick finds Romelu Lukaku and the Everton forward breaks away. With only Junior Malanda back defending, Lukaku outmuscles his fellow Belgian before racing towards the home goal and coolly fires past Diego Benaglio, the Wolfsburg goalkeeper. 1-0 to Everton and the travelling fans go crazy.

Being in with the home supporters, I hadn’t expected to be able to celebrate any Everton goals, but when the ball hits the back of the net there seem to be away fans everywhere. Spreading out from the south east corner of the ground, there are dozens of blue banners draped over the advertising hoardings and Everton fans behind them cheering and clapping. There are also blues in the block below me, behind me and even two seats to the right of me, so I feel safe to join in with the celebrations. The atmosphere from both sets of fans is incredible. The Wolfsburg supporters sing long and loud, while the away fans, despite being heavily outnumbered, are a match for their German counterparts. As well as an official allocation of just under three thousand, there are estimated to be another two thousand Everton fans in the stadium.

Having arrived in Germany the day before at Hannover airport, I’d seen blues on the plane, blues in the train station, blues in my hotel, blues at the Xmas markets, blues in the Paulaner restaurant, and blues in the local brauhaus watching Champions League football. Everywhere I turned, I saw blues, making me feel very much at home. The added bonus of German weissbier and the divine smells of the markets made my time in the city very enjoyable before the short train ride to Wolfsburg for the game.

The second half is much the same as the first, Wolfsburg pressing, but unable to find a way through the Everton defence. The home side have two chances in succession. Breaking quickly after capitalising on a mistake in midfield, fortunately De Bruyne’s shot is saved by the leg of Howard. From the following corner, De Bruyne finds the head of Perisic, whose flick on is headed into the net at the far post by Bendtner. Once again Wolfsburg’s celebrations are cut short as the linesman flags for offside, this time correctly.

Minutes later, Osman is given too much space in midfield and cleverly finds Lukaku out wide. The big Belgian runs onto the ball and shoots, but Benaglio saves. The ball bounces to McGeady, whose first time shot floats just over. So close to a second goal for Everton and heads in hands all round. At the other end, Perisic, having a busy, but seemingly fruitless night, cuts in from the left wing and hits the outside of the post with a low drive.

Everton fans in Wolfsburg.

With a quarter of an hour left, McGeady dispossesses Daniel Caligiuri in the Everton penalty area before Osman clears the ball to Lukaku. The forward controls the ball, turns and beats two players before sliding a perfect through ball to Mirallas, who runs into the Wolfsburg area and away from Luis Gustavo before lashing a low shot into the bottom corner. From one end of the pitch to another in mere seconds and the away side double their lead. The home supporters are stunned, but the Everton fans are in dreamland, chanting the goal scorer’s name.

Soon after, an announcement politely informs away fans staying in nearby Hannover that an extra train will be put on after the game and could we please do our best to be on it and leave the city as soon as possible. I can’t imagine many blues being too put out at being asked to go back to Hannover, as Wolfsburg was definitely second best. On the train journey into Wolfsburg, visitors are greeted by the Volkswagen factory and its four hulking chimneys. Being from Manchester, home of the industrial revolution and L.S. Lowry and his industrial landscapes, I have to say that after the football, they were my highlight of the place. Other than that, there wasn’t much else.

With the score 2-0 and after a flurry of substitutions, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the game would die out, but not a chance. Both teams have great opportunities to score in the last few minutes. First, Wolfsburg substitute Max Arnold hits the post with a drive from the edge of the area. Then a minute later, Ross Barkley, on for Mirallas, has a goal ruled out for offside. An end to end finish for an end to end match. The final whistle blows and it’s off back to Hannover for the rest of the evening. Once on the train, the last sight of the city of Wolfsburg is the Volkswagen chimneys lit up red against the night sky. After tonight’s win, they should be aglow in the royal blue of Everton FC.