VfB Stuttgart celebrated a deserved 2-1 home win (0-1) against RB Leipzig at the end of the first half of the season in the Bundesliga. The decisive factor was a significant increase in performance in the second half.
Benjamin Sesko (10th) initially gave RB the lead in the tenth minute. Jakob Bruun Larsen (50th) and Nick Woltemade (59th) turned the game around for VfB. In the final phase, Sesko and his teammate Lois Openda were each sent off with yellow-red cards.
In the table, Stuttgart is once again sniffing the Champions League places and is fifth in the table with 29 points, only one point behind Leipzig in fourth place.
Little flow of the game, then Sesko scores
It only took four minutes until referee Sascha Stegemann pulled out the first yellow card. Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav saw them after a foul on Xavi Simons. The scene set the tone for a first half that was primarily characterized by many fouls. Things got rough, which didn’t necessarily help the flow of the game.
But football was still played and quite offensively. Both teams looked for a way forward from the start. And after ten minutes Leipzig took the first trick. After Stuttgart lost the ball by Nick Woltemade just in front of their own penalty area, things happened quickly: via Xavi, the ball landed at Sesko, who gave VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel no chance from almost eleven meters – his eighth goal of the season.
Openda to the post
Eight minutes later, Lois Openda almost benefited from Stuttgart’s next ball loss. But his long-range shot hit the left post (18th).
As a result, Stuttgart managed to gain more control of the game. In the 25th minute, Undav suddenly found himself free in front of the Leipzig goal, but was unable to overcome RB keeper Peter Gulacsi from twelve meters. Undav was also in a suspicious position, but Stegemann’s whistle remained silent.
VfB was now the better team. But there were no more notable chances, which was partly due to Leipzig’s defense and partly due to Stuttgart’s lack of precision in the final third. So RB went into the dressing room with the narrow lead.
VfB substituted after the restart
After the restart it took less than five minutes, not until the first yellow card, but until the equalizer. Undav drove the ball over the right side during a counterattack and crossed perfectly to the running-in Bruun Larsen and the returner headed the ball into the right corner, unstoppable for Gulacsi (50th).
Stuttgart showed a different face after the break and was suddenly on fire. Consequently, it only took another nine minutes before VfB turned the game around. Chris Führich served Undav in the penalty area. Gulacsi was able to fend off his shot, but he was powerless against Woltemade’s goal (59′).
Baku too surprised, two Leipzigers fly
Little came from RB after falling behind. In the 69th minute, Ridle Baku suddenly had the chance to equalize. After a free kick from the half field, the ball fell at the feet of the newcomer from Wolfsburg five meters from the goal. However, Baku was too surprised to put the ball on goal.
But nothing more came from Leipzig in the second half. Rather, RB seemed perplexed by Stuttgart’s sudden enthusiasm for the game. And things got even worse for RB: In the 85th minute, Sesko was shown a yellow-red card after repeated foul play. And because just three minutes later Openda pushed Jamie Leweling away, he also saw the traffic light card. With that the game was decided.
Stuttgart against Freiburg, Leipzig in Bochum
To kick off the second half of the season, VfB Stuttgart welcomes SC Freiburg on Saturday (January 18, 2025, 3:30 p.m.). At the same time, RB Leipzig plays against VfL Bochum.