19th matchday
With three-packer Undav – VfB celebrates goal party against Leipzig
Stuttgart’s Enzo Millot gives VfB a 1-0 lead with a penalty. photo
© Jan-Philipp Strobel/dpa
VfB Stuttgart can win in the Bundesliga without Guirassy – and how! The home game against RB Leipzig will be a goal spectacle. A striker stands out with three goals.
A high-spirited Deniz Undav took the game ball home with him after his impressive performance. The striker scored a hat-trick to help his VfB Stuttgart win 5:2 (2:1). RB Leipzig came out and once again recommended itself for the national soccer team and the home European Championship in the summer.
“Three goals in a game like this – an outstanding feeling,” said the 27-year-old beaming: “We knew we had to react. We played an outstanding game.” The Swabians made an impressive comeback with such unexpected success. Like RB Leipzig, the Stuttgart team lost both games in the new year, but shook off the setbacks impressively and showed their joy in playing again with their deserved success.
“I’ll just step on the gas”
In doing so, VfB also proved that they can still win in the Bundesliga without top scorer Serhou Guirassy. In all four league games this season without the top attacker, who is currently at the Africa Cup, the Stuttgart team remained without a point.
While a disappointing RB Leipzig had to worry about its place in the Champions League, the team that was almost relegated from the last two seasons consolidated its third place. Undav found his nose for goal again – and scored 2:0, 4:2 and 5:2. He scored with a header from outside the penalty area and, after an initially blocked shot, completed his hat-trick in the second attempt. “He is an instinctive footballer who comes from street football,” praised VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß. Undav can anticipate certain situations that some people don’t.
In the first part of the season, Undav had already become the focus of the surprise team and received a call from national coach Julian Nagelsmann. He wasn’t nominated yet. He doesn’t even think about the national team, said Undav on Sky. “I’ll just put my foot down.”
Millot penalty initiates victory
After the liberating first success of the year, the hosts also celebrated in the dressing room, according to Hoeneß, fellow striker Jamie Leweling, who scored his first Bundesliga goal for VfB (48th). Enzo Millot started the goal festival with a confidently converted hand penalty (25th). Referee Sven Jablonski viewed the video images and then decided on a penalty after the ball hit RB defender Mohamed Simakan’s hand. The goals from Benjamin Sesko (32nd) and Lois Openda (55th) were clearly not enough for the guests. RB also disappointed in attack.
After the game, Hoeneß emphasized how proud he was of his young team, which had mastered the complicated situation after the unsuccessful new start after the winter break. “We put on an impressive performance, at times a spectacle,” said VfB sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth.
However, the Swabians have not yet formulated a new goal for the season. And Undav also waved away the question about the Champions League. “That’s not the goal at all,” he said. “We look from week to week and just try to perform as well as we can. Starting tomorrow the focus is on Freiburg and then we’ll move on.”