For a long time it looked as if the southwest duel between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg would end goalless – but then ex-Freiburger Demirovic scores.
Of all people, former Freiburg player Ermedin Demirovic shot VfB Stuttgart to victory in the southwest duel. Coming on as a substitute in the 77th minute when the score was 0-0, the striker scored a fantastic goal in the 90th minute to make the final score 1-0. After a cross from Deniz Undav, Demirovic volleyed the ball into the right corner from around 17 meters. VfB jumps to fourth place ahead of RB Leipzig, while Freiburg remains seventh.
Suzuki’s finish goes just over
Freiburg were responsible for the first dangerous scene of the game: in the 4th minute, offensive midfielder Yuito Suzuki shot from around 18 meters, but the ball whizzed just over the crossbar. Stuttgart played dominantly and often had the ball, but the answer took around a quarter of an hour to arrive. After a corner from Angelo Stiller, Josha Vagnoman had a header in the 20th minute, but Freiburg keeper Atubolu saved with a good reflex. The corner only came about because SC defender Max Rosenfelder got the ball on his arm, from where he jumped out of the goal. However, referee Florian Badstübner indicated that Rosenfelder’s arm was braced – and therefore did not award a penalty.
Stuttgart’s Undav comes into focus
From the middle of the first half, Stuttgart’s lead was in the air. Atubolu was just able to get to a cross from Ramon Hendriks before it was able to sink into the far corner. Immediately afterwards, Undav shot in the penalty area, but Matthias Ginter cleared it off the line (28′). A few moments later, Nikolas Nartey won the ball at Freiburg’s penalty area, then Undav suddenly found himself quite free in front of the goal, but shot just wide to the left (31′). And just three minutes later, the Stuttgart striker appeared again in the visitors’ penalty area, received a cross from Vagnoman perfectly, turned around his opponent, but was only able to finish too centrally from a tight angle – Atubolu had no trouble with it (34′).
By the break, Undav had another shot, but it again went wide to the left. And he headed it up for Nartey, whose header at the back post was deflected over the crossbar by Atubolu (41′).
Freiburg double action before the break
Although Stuttgart were superior, Freiburg always remained dangerous through quick counterattacks. Igor Matanovic extended a long ball in the 43rd minute, allowing Derry Scherhant to finish freely in the penalty area, but only hit the left side netting. VfB keeper Alexander Nübel took the following goal kick briefly, was played straight back and almost lost the ball on his own five-pointer. With great difficulty he was able to clear the ball for a corner in front of the advancing Matanovic. It was the last notable scene of a lively first half.
Stuttgart’s inefficiency keeps Freiburg in the game
The second half continued to be dynamic and full of opportunities: on the Freiburg side, it was Johan Manzambi who shot over the goal from around 22 meters. And at VfB, Nartey set up Bilal El-Khannouss perfectly, but his shot from close range bounced off Atubolu once again (52′). More and more it was the Swabians’ inefficiency that kept the game balanced.
Ex-Freiburger Demirovic, of all people, scores for VfB
And so the 60,000 spectators in Stuttgart saw a game whose outcome remained completely open. The Stuttgart team led almost all statistics, but the Freiburg team were defensively compact and always posed a certain danger in the game going forward. However, there were no longer any great opportunities for either team. Until substitute Demirovic volleyed from around 17 meters after a cross from Undav and decided the game. It was his fifth goal of the season. VfB saved the 1-0 over time, also because Nübel brilliantly parried a shot from Bruno Ogbus shortly before the end.
VfB will be visiting FC St. Pauli next Saturday (February 7th, 3:30 p.m.). Freiburg will host SV Werder Bremen at the same time.
