Thanks to its goal-scoring duo Serhou Guirassy and Deniz Undav, VfB Stuttgart successfully completed its successful football year and set a club record. The Swabians gave FC Augsburg no chance.
On Wednesday (December 20th, 2023) Stuttgart prevailed 3-0 (2-0). The goals were scored by Undav (18th minute), Guirassy (45th+1) and Chris Führich (69th). With their eleventh win in the first half of the season, which only ended in January, VfB moved past RB Leipzig. And thus overwintered in third place in the table.
Eleven wins in the first half of the season: club record for VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart have never had so many wins in the first half of the Bundesliga season – not even in 1991/92, when they won the championship title. The fact that VfB already has more points (34) than at the end of the entire last season (33) underlines the impressive development in just over six months from relegation participants to European Cup candidates.
VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß said afterwards on the Sportschau microphone: “Nobody could have expected that. Now I’m ready to reflect on that a little bit. What we’ve achieved is great.” But he made it clear: “Everyone who knows me knows that the time will come relatively quickly when the focus will be sharpened again.”
Sports show, December 17th, 2023 6:05 p.m
FCA suffered its second defeat under coach Jess Thorup in December and remained winless in the third game in a row, but survived the winter with an eight-point cushion over the relegation zone. Thorup concluded: “Stuttgart was much better. After the winter break we have to look forward and try to do better.”
VfB shows a different face after bankruptcy against FCB
The hosts left no doubt that they wanted to react after the 3-0 defeat in Munich. VfB was more present in the duels and dominant in terms of play, quickly gaining almost two thirds of the ball possession. Augsburg initially defended in a disciplined manner, but was unable to set any accents themselves.
Instead, Maximillian Mittelstädt and Chris Führich kept whirling over VfB’s left side. Jamie Leweling, who was new to the starting line-up, also livened up Stuttgart’s game and often increased the tempo during counterattacks.
Stuttgart Corner kick variant takes Augsburg by surprise
So it was logical that in the first half, VfB was clearly ahead when it came to compelling goal area scenes (9:2 shots on goal). After a counterattack via Leweling, Undav and Guirassy played a one-two to break up the Augsburg defense, and Undav’s shot hit the post (14th).
Sports show, December 20th, 2023 11:47 p.m
A harbinger of what came next: the Stuttgart lead. VfB took advantage of FCA’s collective sleep when the ball was at rest. Angelo Stiller brought his corner kick halfway into the six-yard box, where Undav unchallenged his direct shot to the inside post and into the net.
Other top-class players followed, Stuttgart kept Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen busy. Before the half-time whistle, he parried a Leweling shot with his face in desperate need (34′). But Dahmen had nothing to report in Stuttgart’s 2-0 win: Undav set up for Guirassy in the build-up game after Augsburg’s adventurous loss of the ball.
Augsburg tries hard, Führich elegantly puts a lid on it
FCA coach Jess Thorup’s half-time speech seemed to be clearly out of the ordinary. Because Augsburg attacked earlier and was closer to the man. Captain Ermedin Demirovic took heart and fired a long-range shot – Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel parried FCA’s best shot to date (48′).
But Augsburg’s efforts didn’t help. Stuttgart was simply more effective. A fantastic Stiller lob over the defensive line found Führlich in the penalty area, who elegantly passed the ball past Dahmen with his inside side. That finally pulled the plug on Augsburg. Atakan Karazor hit the crossbar (76th), a better VfB victory would have been possible. In the end the Swabians only scored three goals.
Stuttgart in January at BMG, Augsburg welcomes Leverkusen
After the winter break, FCA welcomes league leaders Bayer Leverkusen for the first game of the new year (Saturday, January 13, 2024, 3:30 p.m.). VfB starts again with a guest appearance in Mönchengladbach (Sunday, January 14th, 2024, 5:30 p.m.).