Wooyeong Jeong Jeong strikes late to earn Union Berlin a draw against VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart and Union Berlin played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the MHPArena on Matchday 18, with Chris Führich putting the hosts ahead before substitute Wooyeong Jeong equalised late on for the visitors.
VfB Stuttgart 1–1 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Führich 59‘ (assist: Hendriks), 1-1 Jeong 83‘ (assist: Nsoki)
Stuttgart welcomed Union Berlin to the MHPArena with both sides enjoying strong starts to 2026. The hosts entered the match on the back of impressive victories over Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, having accumulated 32 points – one of their best starts in years.
Sebastian Hoeneß's side boasted several World Cup hopefuls, including Deniz Undav and Chris Führich. The visitors arrived unbeaten in four matches and sitting comfortably in mid-table, 11 points clear of the relegation zone and just six points shy of the European spots. Union coach Steffen Baumgart made four changes to the team that drew with Augsburg, bringing in Andrej Ilić, Livan Burcu, Aljoscha Kemlein and Josip Juranovic among others.
Early chances
Stuttgart started brightly and dominated the early proceedings. Josha Vagnoman was particularly lively for the hosts, heading over from Mittelstädt's cross in the sixth minute before forcing a smart save from Frederik Rønnow moments later. Despite Stuttgart's control of possession, Union grew into the game and nearly took the lead in the 14th minute when Ilić struck the post with a left-footed effort.
The visitors continued to threaten on the counter-attack while Stuttgart struggled to break down Union's resilient defence. Maximilian Mittelstädt came close for the hosts with a shot just over the bar, but the sides went into the break level.
Führich strikes
The hosts maintained their momentum after the interval with Führich becoming increasingly influential. Their pressure finally told in the 59th minute when Ramon Hendriks drove forward before laying the ball off to Führich, who arrowed a precise right-footed strike into the bottom corner from outside the box. The goal seemed to settle Stuttgart, who should have doubled their advantage in the 80th minute when Angelo Stiller was put through on goal by Undav, only for the midfielder to fire over with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Jeong's equaliser
Steffen Baumgart's tactical substitutions proved decisive as Union fought back. Wooyeong Jeong, introduced in the 75th minute for András Schäfer, made an immediate impact against his former club. In the 83rd minute, fellow substitute Stanley Nsoki cut the ball back from the byline and Jeong swept a clinical first-time finish into the top corner beyond Alexander Nübel.
The South Korean nearly doubled his tally five minutes later when he broke through on goal, but this time Nübel was equal to his effort. Despite late pressure from both sides, neither could find a winner in an entertaining contest.
Man of the Match: Chris Führich
Though Stuttgart couldn't hold on for victory, Führich's influential display earned him the Man of the Match accolade with 52% of the votes. The winger was a constant threat throughout, driving at the Union defence and creating numerous chances for his teammates. His goal – a composed finish from outside the box – was a fitting reward for an energetic performance. Führich's third strike of the season demonstrated his shooting ability from distance, having scored two of his three goals from outside the area. After returning to the starting line-up in recent weeks, the 26-year-old looked back to the form that previously earned him national team recognition.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Stuttgart 2.07 - Union Berlin 1.92
Fastest player: Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart), 33.91 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Chris Führich (Stuttgart), 5 percent
Most pressed player: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), 27 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart), +4.12
Fantasy Heroes: Ramon Hendriks (Stuttgart, 314 Points), Chris Führich (Stuttgart, 239 Points), Maximilian Mittelstädt (Stuttgart, 203 Points)
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