Stuttgart withstand late Vigo revival to claim 2-1 triumph

VfB Stuttgart kicked off their UEFA Europa League campaign at home to RC Celta Vigo this evening at an atmospheric MHP Arena. The game, in spite of a late consolation for the Galician side, was ultimately decided by a second-half strike from Bilal El Khannouss as the hosts ran out 2-1 winners. 

Hearts were firmly in mouths approaching the third minute as Alexander Nübel’s misplaced clearance fell to Iago Aspas who fired over the bar despite an open goal. Stuttgart almost found the opener as momentum swung their way with Chema’s header saved and Jamie Leweling off target from the rebound attempt.

The Swabians were dealt a blow midway through the first-half when Finn Jeltsch came off worse in a duel with Ferran Jutglà. Hoeneß called upon Luca Jaquez to fill in at centre-half. Shortly after Jutglà fizzed wide, Lorenz Assignon forced Ionut Radu into a fine save high to his top-left corner. 

Stuttgart’s dominance before the break eventually paid dividends six minutes into the second-half as Badredine Boaunani made it 1-0. Nübel’s long ball sailed over everyone and arrived at the Algerian who chipped Radu in style. Vigo responded by replenishing their attack as Borja Iglesias replaced Jutglà.

Further substitutions from the La Liga outfit arrived past the hour. Bayern loanee Bryan Zaragoza entered alongside Williot Swedberg and Javi Rueda. However, Stuttgart doubled their lead promptly – an Angelo Stiller corner found Bilal El Khannouss who cut in from the left and curled his effort inside the right post. 

El Khannouss was given a rousing send-off as both he and Chema made way for Tiago Tomas and the returning Atakan Karazor. A dramatic conclusion was guaranteed when the latter has his pocket picked by Ilaix Moriba who fed the ex-Leverkusen loanee Iglesias who converted to cut the gap down to 2-1. 

Knowing that the game could still be snatched away from them, it proved to be a nervy four minutes of injury time for Sebastian Hoeneß and his squad. Zaragoza came close from a long ball at the death, but the Stuttgart faithful roared their team on for an opening night win and three key points in Europe.