Sunday April 4th 2021
European Cup chance for VfB
Werder’s header brings Stuttgart the victory
For a long time it looks like a cozy Easter Sunday between Bremen and Stuttgart. But then VfB countered, forcing the Werder defense to make a serious mistake. For the Swabians, the chance of returning to European competition remains clearly recognizable.
Newcomers VfB Stuttgart have won an important three-point in the race for Europe in the Bundesliga. Thanks to an own goal by Ludwig Augustinsson (81st), the Swabians won 1-0 (0-0) in a balanced duel against Werder Bremen and can hope for a European Cup starting place seven games before the end of the season more than ever.
With seven games to go, the team of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo is seventh, four points behind Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. For VfB it was the 750th victory in the Bundesliga, only record champions Bayern Munich (1140), Borussia Dortmund (818) and Bremen (800) were allowed to cheer more often. SV Werder, headed by coach Florian Kohfeldt, suffered their third defeat in a row and, with a seven-point lead over the relegation places in 13th place, can still not breathe deeply. The Kohfeldt-Elf missed the hoped-for liberation before the cup quarter-finals at the second division Jahn Regensburg on Wednesday (6.30 p.m. / Sky, Sport1 and in the ntv.de live ticker). With three wins in the DFB Cup, the Hanseatic League for their part could still book the Europa League ticket.
In Stuttgart, both teams played committed and straight forward in a brisk initial phase. Bremen, who had to do without the suspended striker Josh Sargent, came dangerously in front of the VfB goal through long-range shots by Romano Schmid (10th), Ludwig Augustinsson (22nd) and Kevin Möhwald (31st).
Later compensation does not apply
In the course of the first half of the game, however, the Matarazzo-Elf, who had to do without winger Silas Wamangituka (cruciate ligament tear) after the bitter 0: 4 in the Südschlager at Bayern Munich, took over the command. Against the well-staggered Werder defense, which Kohfeldt converted back into a back four after the failure of central defender Milos Veljkovic, VfB hardly developed a chance due to too many inaccuracies in the last third.
Philipp Förster had the best opportunity first, who failed with a good shot from the edge of the penalty area at Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka (25th). After the break, both teams played to win, and an open exchange of blows developed.
First Borna Sosa (54th) shot just over it for VfB, in return Niclas Füllkrug did not bring the ball on goal after an exemplary presentation by Milot Rashica. Even shots from the strong Mateo Klimowicz (58th) and Sosa (68th) did not find their way into the goal. In stoppage time, Yuya Osako (90 + 1) had the equalizer on the foot.
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