Deniz Undav makes goalscoring return as Stuttgart beat Augsburg
Deniz Undav marked his return to VfB Stuttgart action with the winner to edge Augsburg 1-0 at the WWK Arena.
Augsburg 0-1 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 0-1 Undav 65'
Prior to this road trip, Stuttgart endured a slip-up at home to St. Pauli. yet Sebastian Hoeneß's men were previously on a run of four straight victories in all competitions, meaning morale was high. Undav's return to the bench following injury added an extra fillip as the visitors sought a victory that would take them up to seventh.
Strong start
Stuttgart dominated possession early on and created several chances, with Ermedin Demirović coming close in the 20th minute. However, Augsburg's defence, marshalled by Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, held firm. The hosts struggled to create clear-cut opportunities and they suffered an early setback when Maximilian Bauer was forced off due to injury shortly before the half-hour mark.
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VfB hit the front
The second half saw Augsburg come out with renewed energy, but Stuttgart continued to look the more threatening side. The game's turning point came in the 61st minute when visiting coach Hoeneß introduced Undav for Demirović. The substitution paid immediate dividends as Undav broke the deadlock just four minutes later. Angelo Stiller provided a perfectly weighted pass, and Undav, timing his run to perfection, slotted home past Finn Dahmen at the second attempt.
Player of the Match: Deniz Undav
Undav's impact on the match was decisive. Coming back from a muscle injury, he needed just four minutes to make his mark. The striker's performance was further highlighted by his four shots on target, the highest of any player in the match, and underlined his threat even with limited playing time.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Augsburg 0.38 - Stuttgart 3.09
Fastest player: Henri Koudossou (Augsburg), 34.65 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), 95.9 percent
Most pressed player: Chris Führich (Stuttgart), 23 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Dimitrios Giannoulis (Augsburg), +1.63
Fantasy Heroes: Jeff Chabot (Stuttgart, 199 Points), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg, 192 Points), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart, 179 Points)
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