In Tuesday’s match at Tehelno field lost to VfB Stuttgart 1:3. In the incomplete table, they still belong to the penultimate 35th place without a point gain. The Whites will conclude the league stage in the club’s most prestigious competition eight days later (January 29) at Bayern Munich.
The reigning German vice-champion was better from the start and Jamie Leweling scored twice already in the first half. The winger first benefited from the work of Deniz Undav, and after half an hour of the game he beat Dominik Takáč again from the stop. Stuttgart dominated in all statistics, Slovan only allowed the first shot on goal in the 79th minute. Substitute Idjessi Metsoko got the hosts back into the game shortly after, but Fabian Rieder responded shortly after.
SK SLOVAN BRATISLAVA – VfB STUTTGART 1:3 (0:2)
Goals: 85. Cigarettes — 11. a 37. Left, 87. Rieder
Referees: Kavanagh – Betts, Davies (all English), ŽK: Kašia, Savvidis, Barsejjan – Rouault, Undav, Keitel, 22,500 spectators (sold out)
Lineups and substitutions:
Slovan Bratislava: Takač – Blackman (89. Medvedev), Kašia, Wimmer, Zuberu (71. Barsejjan) – Bajrič, Savvidis (82. Mustafič) – Tolič – Mak (70. Metsoko), Strelec, Marcelli (89. Gajdoš)
Stuttgart: Nübel – Vagnoman (90th Stergiou), Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstädt – Keitel (81st Al-Dakhil), Stiller – Leweling (70th Rieder), Millot (90th Stenzel), Führich – Undav (70th Demirovič)
The guests entered the match better when, after a few seconds, Führich got free in the penalty area and Takač headed his attempt for a corner. Stuttgart was dangerous at the front, although it hasn’t made a breakthrough in the corners yet, well he already opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Undav got behind the defense, found Leweling, who sent the favorite into the lead. The opponents’ pressing caused problems for the home team and most of the time was played in front of the goalkeeper Takač. In the 25th minute, Strelec got behind the defense, but Rouault fouled him before the penalty area and Slovan had a free kick. However, Wimmer aimed over the goal. The guests easily passed through the opponent’s defense and added a second goal in the 36th minute. Millot avoided being offside, his shot was blocked by Takač, but Leweling’s shot fell into the net of the home goalkeeper. Slovan only minimally got ahead of Nübel, Strelec worked well several times, but the team did not get a single shot on goal from his good attacking. Leweling could have completed a hat-trick before the break, but missed from close range.
The hosts started the second half more actively, but Stuttgart worked well defensively. After an hour of play, Marcelli got free in the penalty area, but the opponent’s defender blocked his shot. Shortly after that, Mak went on the offensive, but he didn’t finish when he was under pressure. On the other hand, the visitors could have added a third precise strike. Undav got behind the defense again, passed to Mittelstädt, Takač made a good save. In the 75th minute, Mittelstädt found substitute Demirović in the penalty area, but he finished just next to the right post. Slovan threatened the German team’s goal for the first time only in the 79th minute, but Barseghjan’s shot was safely neutralized by Nübel. After a big mistake by Metsok, captain Undav went to the goal alone, Takač flashed another save. However, Metsoko corrected it moments later, Barsegghan found him with a precise pass and the striker beat Nübel. However, the home team did not enjoy the goal for long, when Rieder, another substitute player, cooled them down from the counterattack. Stuttgart has already maintained its lead and claimed its third triumph in the competition.
