VfB Stuttgart remains on course for the Champions League. The Swabians gave Union Berlin no chance with their imaginative attack on Friday evening and won comfortably 2-0 (1-0). The goals were scored by Serhou Guirassy with his 21st goal of the season (19th) and Chris Führich (65th). Union’s Andras Schäfer was shown a red card in the 69th minute.
With this success, Stuttgart (53 points) initially crawled within one point of second-placed Bayern Munich (54), who are hosting FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Union remains at 25 points for the time being – that’s eight points ahead of the relegation place.
They are familiar with good news these days at VfB Stuttgart. So the team was able to start the game against Union Berlin on Friday evening (March 8, 2024) with the tailwind of the coaching contract extension – Sebastian Hoeneß has extended it until 2027.
Both: full steam ahead
The Swabians’ broad chest (five wins in the last six games) was further strengthened. Accordingly, only one thing applied against Kellerkind Union: full steam ahead. However, this motto would have been a hair’s breadth in the early stages. Pascal Stenzel, who was preferred to Waldemar Anton in central defense, underestimated a long ball behind the defensive line and Berlin’s Yorbe Vertessen suddenly had a free path, but shot past the Stuttgart box from ten meters to the left.
Union was in the game, but so was Stuttgart. In the 12th minute, Enzo Millot came free to shoot 16 meters in front of the goal after work by Angelo Stiller and put the ball over the crossbar. Union responded with an opportunity for Andras Schäfer after Robin Gosens intercepted an unsuccessful pass from keeper Alexander Nübel. But the keeper immediately ironed out his mistake with a strong reaction.
Of course: Guirassy scores
And who do you need when a game swings back and forth? A real goalscorer! The people of Stuttgart have that. In the 19th minute, Atakan Karazor put his striker Serhou Guirassy in the spotlight with a fine pass to the half-right. The Guinean didn’t think twice and thundered the ball hard into the far left corner from 15 meters – 1-0 (19th).
That’s what it’s like when a team goes on a “run” – you take the lead in a previously balanced game. And this goal was like a game changer. VfB was now superior and literally squeezed the Union team into their half. Until the half-time whistle, the Swabians created one ball relay after the other, the combinations ran smoothly and really well. Chris Führich spun on the left lane that it was a joy, but there was a bit of a problem with the finish.
Führich makes a wonderful shot – 2-0
The best opportunity to make it 2-0 in the first half didn’t come until the 45th minute. After one of his many dribbles, Führich caught attacking defender Josha Vagnoman on the right. Union keeper Frederik Rönnow parried his shot at the far corner excellently.
The Union was by no means hiding, the Berliners remained courageous. But they conceded the 0-2 in the 65th minute in a wonderful attack by VfB: Führich had moved into the middle after a dribble from the left and splendidly flicked the ball into the right corner from 18 meters. It was the preliminary decision, especially since Union lost Andras Schäfer in the 69th minute. The Hungarian hit Vagnoman in the knee with the sole of his foot and was shown a red card by referee Robert Schröder. A very hard decision.
VfB confidently in the majority
Of course, this meant that the self-confident Stuttgart team had won. In the remaining game time, Union could actually only concentrate on not conceding any more goals. And VfB celebrated. The underpinning of his third place in the table. And the coach’s contract extension.
Union against Werder, VfB in Sinsheim
The Eisernen host Bremen next matchday (Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.). The Swabians will meet Heidenheim away (Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.).