Muheim's late thunderbolt sinks Stuttgart at the Volksparkstadion
Hamburg beat Stuttgart 1-0 courtesy of a late Miro Muheim thunderbolt, with Daniel Heuer Fernandes putting on a fine performance between the sticks to deny the visitors.
Hamburg 1-0 VfB StuttgartGoal: 1-0 Muheim 88’ (assist: El Ouahdi)
Hamburg made two changes to the team that won at Hoffenheim last time out, with Muheim and Bilal Nadir switching in for the injured pair of Nicolai Remberg and Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Stuttgart, meanwhile, made four alterations from their midweek Champions League line-up: Dennis Seimen returned in goal, and Ermedin Demirović, Jamie Leweling and Atakan Karazor came in to replace Chris Führich, Grischa Prömel, and Dženan Pejčinović.
Stuttgart dominate without breaking through
Stuttgart controlled possession from the off, and Angelo Stiller volleyed just wide inside two minutes. Bilal El Khannouss' deliveries from the right caused problems throughout the first period, as he twice teed up Demirović, who headed wide both times.
Hamburg's best moment came when Fábio Vieira drove just off target from the edge of the box, before Sebastiaan Bornauw's header deflected off Vieira and forced a flying save from Seimen.
VfB's most viable chance arrived just before the break, when Deniz Undav struck the base of the post from Leweling's cutback, but the sides went into the changing rooms scoreless.
Late thunderbolt
The pattern continued after the restart. Yussuf Poulsen rattled the Stuttgart crossbar with a first-time effort, and Undav's low volley was tipped over by Daniel Heuer Fernandes moments later.
Both sides rang the changes as the game wore on, and then, in the 88th minute, substitute Zakaria El Ouahdi weaved into the middle and found Muheim, who lashed a long-distance drive into the top corner for the only goal of the game.
Stuttgart pushed for an equaliser, with Pejčinović and Führich both forcing further chances in stoppage time, but Heuer Fernandes and his defence held firm to the final whistle.
Man of the Match: Daniel Heuer Fernandes
Heuer Fernandes produced the stops that kept Hamburg in the contest and and was named Man of the Match with 50 percent of the vote. He was repeatedly in the right place at the right time to deny the visitors, with his spectacular one-handed save from Undav's powerful volley the pick of the bunch.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Hamburg 0.93 - VfB Stuttgart 2.67
Fastest player: Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart), 34.41 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Miro Muheim (Hamburg), 3 percent
Most pressed player: Atakan Karazor (Stuttgart), 11 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Stuttgart, +3.75)
Fantasy Heroes: Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart, 125 Points), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart, 95 Points), Yussuf Poulsen (Hamburg, 67 Points)
