VfB Stuttgart put an exclamation mark in the fight for the premier class in the top game of the Bundesliga on Saturday (January 27th, 2024) and beat RB Leipzig 5:2 (2:1). The goals were scored by Enzo Millot (25th minute) from a penalty, the outstanding Deniz Undav (30th/56th/75th) and Jamie Leweling (48th). Bejamin Sesko (32nd) and Lois Openda (55th) scored for Leipzig.
Stuttgart ended its mini-crisis impressively with three defeats in the last four games and moved away from Leipzig. VfB is now four points ahead of the Saxons. For them, however, their negative series continues: RB has not won in four games.
Triple goalscorer Undav beamed in the Sportschau interview: “An outstanding feeling: my first hat-trick in the Bundesliga. And as a team we are also overjoyed that Jamie Leweling finally scored his goal.”
“We lost for the third time in a row”Leipzig coach Marco Rose admitted after the game on the Sportschau microphone, “And based on today’s performance, rightly so. There will be some things to work on and some hard work to do.”
Stuttgart acts superiorly
The top game opened with the first dangerous shot by VfB Stuttgart: Chris Führich, however, aimed too centrally (6th). After around 23 minutes, referee Sven Jablonski took center stage: the referee took a closer look at a handball by Mohamed Simakan in his own penalty area on the screen and decided on a penalty – Millot converted to give the more active VfB a well-deserved lead.
Michael Bollenbacher, Sportschau, January 27, 2024 5:52 p.m
Stuttgart remained superior afterwards – Leipzig had difficulty defending the hosts’ attacking situations. Undav let the Swabians celebrate again with a shot down the left, but Sesko immediately brought Leipzig back into the game after a corner. Nevertheless, RB was lucky not to be further behind at the break: Both Maximilian Mittelstädt (37th) as well as Josha Vagnoman (41st) and Leweling (45th + 2nd) failed.
Undav from Leipzig cannot be stopped
After the break, events came to a head in ten minutes: Vagnoman headed a cross from Führich into the middle, where Leweling held out his foot for VfB’s third goal. Openda completed a counterattack beautifully to connect again into the far corner. The celebration only lasted 60 seconds before Undav headed in again for Stuttgart.
After the ten-minute spectacle, the game petered out a bit again. The Swabians increasingly relied on counterattacks. Leipzig failed to create good chances. Only one person hadn’t had enough: Deniz Undav. After a free kick, the attacker switched gears faster than anyone else and scored his third goal. Three minutes before the end the best left: Undav and Führich left the pitch to a standing ovation from the spectators.
VfB against Freiburg, Leipzig against Union
The Swabians will meet SC Freiburg next matchday (Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.). RB is challenged at home against Union Berlin a day later (5.30 p.m.).