Deniz Undav double gives VfB Stuttgart thrilling comeback win over Augsburg
VfB Stuttgart continued their impressive home form with Deniz Undav netting twice in a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Augsburg which saw the Swabians climb to fourth in the Bundesliga table.
VfB Stuttgart 3-2 Augsburg
Goals: 0-1 Rieder 8‘, 1-1 Mittelstädt 18‘ (pen.), 1-2 Massengo 26‘, 2-2 Undav 39‘, 3-2 Undav 80‘ (assist: Stiller)
Stuttgart's MHP Arena has been something of a fortress this season, with the home side winning all four of their Bundesliga matches there before this encounter, conceding just a single goal.
The Swabians entered the match looking to extend their unbeaten run against Augsburg to nine games, having won their previous five meetings without conceding.
By contrast, Sandro Wagner's Augsburg arrived with a record of six defeats from their opening nine league matches, desperate to turn their fortunes around.
Goals galore in first half
The visitors stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the eighth minute. After a long ball over the top caught Finn Jeltsch out, Anton Kade pounced on the young defender's hesitation. His initial shot was saved by Alexander Nübel, who also denied Alexis Claude-Maurice's follow-up, but Fabian Rieder - a former Stuttgart loanee - was on hand to smash home the rebound.
However, Stuttgart equalised 10 minutes later when Maximilian Mittelstädt coolly converted from the penalty spot after VAR spotted Keven Schlotterbeck holding Dan-Axel Zagadou at a corner.
Stuttgart's resilience shines through
Augsburg reclaimed the lead in the 26th minute through a calamitous Stuttgart error. Nübel played a short pass to Atakan Karazor on the edge of the box, who was dispossessed by Han-Noah Massengo, and the Augsburg midfielder made no mistake with the finish.
Sebastian Hoeneß's men showed remarkable resilience, though, and drew level again six minutes before the break when Undav met Bilal El Khannouss's cross with a header that just crossed the line before Finn Dahmen could claw it away, as confirmed by goal-line technology.
Undav seals the points
The second half saw fewer clear-cut chances as the contest became increasingly physical. The introduction of Chris Führich for Stuttgart in the 74th minute proved decisive, as the winger immediately injected energy into the home side's attack.
After Samuel Essende squandered a golden opportunity to put Augsburg ahead in the 77th minute, blazing over from 12 yards, Stuttgart made them pay three minutes later.
Führich drove at the Augsburg defence before finding Angelo Stiller, who teed up Undav on the edge of the box. The striker picked his spot and guided the ball past Dahmen to complete the comeback and secure Stuttgart's sixth consecutive home victory.
Player of the Match: Deniz Undav
Undav was the undisputed star of the show, netting twice to lead Stuttgart to victory. His first goal came about because of his excellent positioning and awareness, as he headed home El Khannouss's cross with enough power to ensure it crossed the line despite Dahmen's best efforts.
For his second, the striker showed he could be just as precise with his feet too, picking his spot perfectly from the edge of the area. Beyond his goals, Undav was a constant threat, registering a match-high seven shots and working tirelessly to press the Augsburg defence.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Stuttgart 2.57 - Augsburg 2.31
Fastest player: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), 34.84 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 3-2 by Undav (Stuttgart), 11 percent
Most pressed player: Undav (Stuttgart), 17 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Leweling (Stuttgart), +2.11
Fantasy Heroes: Undav (Stuttgart, 424 Points), Zagadou (Stuttgart, 403 Points), Mittelstädt (Stuttgart, 312 Points)
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