VfB Stuttgart suffer first UEFA Champions League loss of season at Galatasaray
A first-half Aleksei Batrakov brace proved decisive as Galatasaray ended VfB Stuttgart's unbeaten start to this season's UEFA Champions League.
Galatasaray 2-0 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Batrakov 12’, 2-0 Batrakov 15’
Stuttgart travelled to Istanbul with seven points from their opening three league-phase matches and an unbeaten record so far this season in the Champions League. Galatasaray, by contrast, had collected only three points before a 4-2 win in Lille last time out lifted them off the bottom of the standings ahead of this meeting.
Sebastian Hoeneß made three changes from Stuttgart's previous outing, bringing back goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow, midfielder Atakan Karazor and forward Ermedin Demirović, while Okan Buruk kept the same starting XI that had beaten Fenerbahçe in the derby a week earlier.
Leweling denied by the woodwork before Batrakov strikes twice
Stuttgart made the brighter start, as was evidenced in the 8th minute, when Jamie Leweling met a cross from Maximilian Mittelstädt at the far post only to see his effort cannon off one post and then the other before bouncing clear.
Having survived that scare, Galatasaray then made their own good fortune count. In the 12th minute Batrakov pounced on a loose clearance from Jeff Chabot and smashed the ball home from close range.
Three minutes later Batrakov struck again, driving into the box after being sent clear by Davinson Sánchez and slotting through Bredlow's legs to establish an early two-goal lead.
Stuttgart push but cannot find a way through
After the restart, Stuttgart emerged a more composed side and began to dominate the ball, though they struggled to create clear openings early on.
Osimhen forced a save from Bredlow on 56 minutes before Führich twice went close, first with a drive straight at the keeper and then with a curled effort that drifted just past the far post. Undav likewise had a good chance of his own shortly thereafter, turning sharply and shooting from the edge of the area to force a fine stretching save from Uğurcan Çakır.
Disallowed goal and a late scare for Galatasaray
In the 75th minute, Stuttgart thought they had pulled a goal back when Führich finished off a rebound following Undav's effort which crashed off the crossbar, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review ruled Undav offside in the build-up.
Substitute Dženan Pejčinović was then denied in a one-on-one by a smart save from Çakır after being sent clean through in the 86th minute as even a consolation proved elusive for Stuttgart on a tough night in Istanbul.
Hoeneß's side visit Inter Milan in their next Champions League assignment on 25 November.
