VfB Stuttgart make it two UEFA Champions League wins from two against Slovan Bratislava
Deniz Undav's strike, an unlucky own goal and a late Ermedin Demirović header gave VfB Stuttgart a comfortable 3-0 win away at SK Slovan Bratislava.
Slovan Bratislava 0-3 VfB StuttgartGoals: 0-1 Undav 29’ (assist: Stiller), 0-2 Cruz o.g. 65’, 0-3 Demirović 90’ (assist: Assignon)
Having won their first game of the new UEFA Champions League season, and off the back of a 2-0 win against Paderborn at the weekend, Stuttgart were keen to make it two from two in Bratislava.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß made five changes to his starting eleven, bringing in Fabian Bredlow, Ramon Hendriks, Bilal El Khannouss, Dženan Pejčinović and Grischa Prömel.
Slovan's Yaya Touré also made five changes from his side's weekend draw.
Undav breaks the deadlock
Stuttgart started quickly and tested Dominik Takáč with efforts from Josha Vagnoman and Deniz Undav before Ramon Hendriks headed a good chance wide on 15 minutes.
Undav was then twice denied during a goal-line scramble, before he finally found the breakthrough a few minutes later. Angelo Stiller found Undav inside the box, and his left-footed effort took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner.
Vagnoman then struck the crossbar from a volley moments later, and Takáč produced a couple of fine saves to deny El Khannouss and Chris Führich as the half ended with Stuttgart 1-0 ahead.
Cruz turns it into his own net before Demirović seals it
Slovan started the second half well as a Suleiman Camara effort was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR review on 53 minutes, with replays showing Andraž Šporar had touched the ball before it reached him.
Sandro Cruz then struck the crossbar just after the hour mark, but five minutes later, Cruz found himself the villain as Vagnoman's low cross deflected off him and rolled through Takáč's legs for an own goal.
With the points already secured, Ermedin Demirović added the icing on the cake just before stoppage time, meeting a fine delivery from fellow substitute Lorenz Assignon to seal the win.
