Gent scored twice late on against Wolfsburg to give themselves an outside chance of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals after conceding three quick goals against the German outfit in tonight's last-16 first leg.
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Wolfsburg came out of the blocks quickly and Julian Draxler blazed over an early chance before Gent had an opportunity themselves when Thomas Foket skied high into the stand from Laurent Depoitre's knockdown.
That was Gent's only moment of note in the first half as Wolfsburg looked the much more comfortable of the Champions League last-16 debutants.
Gent keeper Matz Sels was called into action twice in quick succession, first pushing wide an inadvertent header at goal by teammate Stefan Mitrovic before Max Kruse's curler from a tight angle was pushed wide.
Wolfsburg deservedly took the lead on the stroke of half time through Draxler, who spun away from his man on the touchline before exchanging passes with Vieirinha and slotting home.
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Eight minutes into the second half the visitors' lead was doubled and again Draxler applied a cool finish, this time dinking over the advancing Sels after intercepting a loose pass from Renato Neto.
On the hour mark it was three as Kruse ended his 10-game goal drought by diverting Christian Trasch's cross into the net. The striker was then inches from making it four with a curling shot that came back off the post.
Moments later Sven Kums's deflected shot hit the bar before the Belgian Pro League's Player of the Year got Gent on the scoresheet with 10 minutes remaining by curling home after cutting inside from the left.
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That goal gave Gent a big lift and they began to pepper the Wolfsburg goal before pulling another back through substitute Kalifa Coulibaly, who stooped at the near post to sneak a header past Koen Casteels.
Still, Gent will need to score at least twice more in the return leg in three weeks due to Wolfsburg netting three away goals tonight.
