VfB Stuttgart have given themselves a real lifeline in their battle for survival thanks to Daniel Ginczek, whose two goals in the 70th and 90+1st minute helped them secure a 3-2 win over Werder Bremen. For the first time since matchday 19, Stuttgart have pulled themselves off the foot of the table.
Stuttgart, who are still one point off 16th place, put on a venomous performance, definitely not like a side set to go down, and denied Bremen the chance to move up to the widely coveted Europa League seventh place in the table.
Christian Gentner put Stuttgart in the lead in front of 51,330 fans in the Mercedes-Benz-Arena after 15 minutes. Substitute Davie Selke equalised in the 50th minute with his seventh goal of the season. What followed was beyond dramatic: Ginczek fired Stuttgart back into the lead on 70 minutes, before Martin Harnik saw red for multiple fouls after 84 minutes. This was shortly followed by a Jannik Vestergaard equaliser in the 86th minute which seemed to have saved a point for the Bremen side. But Ginczek stepped up once again for the home side to fire Stuttgart to a vital victory in injury time.
Strong start for Stuttgart
Stuttgart were energetic from the start and put Bremen under immediate pressure. It paid off as Gentner opened the scoring with a delightful volleyed effort from 20 yards following an unfortunate clearance from Janek Sternberg. Ginczek and Harnik both had chances to increase the home side’s lead. Stuttgart’s defence, with Antonio Rüdiger back in the squad for the first time since December after his knee operation, were rarely tested by the away side.
Stuttgart did well to stop Bremen getting the ball forward to Franco Di Santo and even when Werder tried to cross the ball from wide, someone was there to clear the ball for Stuttgart. Sternberg and captain Marco Fritz, who like Junuzovic returned to the starting line up, had the best of the few chances for Bremen in the first half.
Werder manager Viktor Skripnik reacted to his sides attacking weaknesses by bringing on Selke, who equalised unchallenged with a header. Stuttgart were a little nervous following this and needed a bit of time to pick themselves up before Harnik missed two sitters to give Stuttgart the lead once again. He made up for it though with his cross for Ginczek who made it 2-1.
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VfB Stuttgart have given themselves a real lifeline in their battle for survival thanks to Daniel Ginczek, whose two goals in the 70th and 90+1st minute helped them secure a 3-2 win over Werder Bremen. For the first time since matchday 19, Stuttgart have pulled themselves off the foot of the table.
Stuttgart, who are still one point off 16th place, put on a venomous performance, definitely not like a side set to go down, and denied Bremen the chance to move up to the widely coveted Europa League seventh place in the table.
Christian Gentner put Stuttgart in the lead in front of 51,330 fans in the Mercedes-Benz-Arena after 15 minutes. Substitute Davie Selke equalised in the 50th minute with his seventh goal of the season. What followed was beyond dramatic: Ginczek fired Stuttgart back into the lead on 70 minutes, before Martin Harnik saw red for multiple fouls after 84 minutes. This was shortly followed by a Jannik Vestergaard equaliser in the 86th minute which seemed to have saved a point for the Bremen side. But Ginczek stepped up once again for the home side to fire Stuttgart to a vital victory in injury time.
Strong start for Stuttgart
Stuttgart were energetic from the start and put Bremen under immediate pressure. It paid off as Gentner opened the scoring with a delightful volleyed effort from 20 yards following an unfortunate clearance from Janek Sternberg. Ginczek and Harnik both had chances to increase the home side’s lead. Stuttgart’s defence, with Antonio Rüdiger back in the squad for the first time since December after his knee operation, were rarely tested by the away side.
Stuttgart did well to stop Bremen getting the ball forward to Franco Di Santo and even when Werder tried to cross the ball from wide, someone was there to clear the ball for Stuttgart. Sternberg and captain Marco Fritz, who like Junuzovic returned to the starting line up, had the best of the few chances for Bremen in the first half.
Werder manager Viktor Skripnik reacted to his sides attacking weaknesses by bringing on Selke, who equalised unchallenged with a header. Stuttgart were a little nervous following this and needed a bit of time to pick themselves up before Harnik missed two sitters to give Stuttgart the lead once again. He made up for it though with his cross for Ginczek who made it 2-1.
