Last updated: 20.12.2023, 22:29
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Stuttgart's Chris Führich (M) celebrates after his goal to make it 3-0 with Stuttgart's Maximilian Mittelstädt (l) and Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy (r). © Tom Weller/dpa
VfB Stuttgart conclude a fabulous first part of the season with a well-deserved win against a harmless FC Augsburg. The Swabians have never been so successful in the first half of the season.
Stuttgart - Thanks to its goalscoring duo Serhou Guirassy and Deniz Undav, VfB Stuttgart have successfully completed their successful football year and finished it with a club record. A good six months after the relegation play-offs, the Swabians moved past RB Leipzig on Wednesday with a 3-0 (2-0) win against FC Augsburg and said goodbye to the Christmas break in third place.
Goals from Undav (18'), Guirassy (45'+1') and Chris Führich (69') gave the hosts their eleventh win in the first half of the season, which only ended in January. Stuttgart have never had so many victories in the first half of the Bundesliga season - not even in 1991/92, when they became German champions.
The fact that VfB already have more points (34) than at the end of last season (33) underlines the impressive development. At the beginning of June, the Swabians had avoided a debacle in the relegation play-off against Hamburger SV.
FCA suffered their second defeat under coach Jess Thorup in December and remained winless for the third game in a row, but spend the winter with a reassuring lead above the relegation zone.
After the sobering 0-3 defeat at FC Bayern last Sunday, VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß had hoped for a reaction from his team - and in front of 53,600 spectators he saw a well-deserved victory against harmless Augsburg. The hosts clearly controlled the game.
The unusually quiet atmosphere in the stadium, in which the fans continued their protest against the investor plans of the German Football League (DFL) with twelve minutes of restraint, was just over when the spectators were able to observe dangerous scenes from Undav: First he failed to hit the post after a one-two with Guirassy (13th).
Just a few minutes later, it was a better fit and Undav made it 1-0 with Angelo Stiller, who provided the assist: A half-high corner from his teammate reached the free-standing Undav at the six-yard box, and the ball flew off the inside of the post and into the net. Augsburg conceded at least one goal in their 19th Bundesliga game in a row. And it shouldn't stop there against the surprise team of the season so far.
Undav's strike partner Guirassy initially struggled when Jamie Leweling tried in vain - instead of playing to him (34'). Then the Swabians' top scorer initially missed a great chance to score after Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen let it bounce off again. Afterwards, however, Guirassy ran alone towards Dahmen after Undav's assist and took the opportunity to score his 17th Bundesliga goal of the season. Before the game, there had already been speculation as to whether the sought-after striker might play his last game for VfB against Augsburg and move during the winter break. At the end of the year, he was cheered again.
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The visitors didn't manage much, they didn't make it particularly difficult for VfB. VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel had a quiet evening, especially in the first half. That changed promptly after the break when he deflected a long-range shot from Ermedin Demirovic over the bar (48'). Philip Tietz's header was not placed well enough (67') to really challenge him.
At the other end, Führich made everything clear with a direct shot after a superb pass from Stiller. The hosts could have won even more with further chances - Atakan Karazor's shot clapped against the crossbar with a quarter of an hour to go. Dpa