3. Stuttgart victory in a row
© Imago
VfB Stuttgart missed the euphoria at the promoted 1. FC Köln and made it to the top group of the Bundesliga. The cup winner prevailed 2-1 (1: 1) in a competitive game and improved in fifth place in the table with nine points. Including Europa League, it was the third win one after the other. After the second defeat in a series, Cologne still has seven points in the account.
In front of 50,000 fans, Jakub Kaminski put the hosts in the lead in the 4th minute, which Hermedin Demirovic (28th) equalized by a penalty before the break. After the change, Josha Vagnoman (81.) achieved the winning goal for the Swabians.
As in the first home game, Cologne coach Lukas Kwasniok had joined an FC jersey-this time in black. He had clearly expressed his claim for the second appearance in front of a home backdrop before the kick -off: “The fans can expect something from us. With them in the back, it can be a wild game because both teams want to score goals.”
And his team initially held its word. The minute hand had not yet made four revolutions when Kaminski scored for the early lead. After a nice preparatory work by Ragnar Ache, the Polish international appeared in front of the guest goal and gave VfB keeper Alexander Nübel no chance.
Just three minutes later, Ache, who for the first time for the injured Marius Bülter, could have increased the starting eleven. The striker, who came from second division club 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the summer, skilfully lifted the ball over the falling Nübel, but Stuttgart’s defender Luca Jaquez was able to clarify shortly before the goal line.
The Swabians, who had successfully launched the Europa League on Thursday with a 2-1 against Celta Vigo, were only slowly entering the game. After a quarter of an hour, however, they also came to the first promising offensive campaigns. FC goalkeeper Martin Schwäbe steered an artistic fall back from Tiago Tomas. Shortly afterwards, Demirovic narrowly missed the goal with a header.
The VfB team, which was changed to six positions, subsequently came better and consequently to compensate-but also thanks to Cologne. Schwäbe covered the ball in his own penalty area against Demirovic and hit the Stuttgart attacker on the heel when trying to clarify. Referee Matthias Jöllenbeck initially continued to run, but then the var. According to the TV pictures, there were penalty that Demirovic safely converted.
Stuttgart now dominated the action without being able to develop further major chances. The promoted promoted employee, predominantly on the defensive, only became dangerous again in added time. Sebastian Sebulonsen narrowly missed the goal with a shot from around 17 meters.
After the change, both teams acted too cumbersome in the attack. The game only picked up speed in the final phase. Stuttgart’s Tiago Tomas only hit the outer post. On the other hand, Nübel parried strongly against Said El Mala, then Maximilian Mittelstädt saved on the line in a Kaminski head. In the end, the guests cheered because Vagnoman hit late.