Whew ... should have had one or two breakaway goals near the end. I needed that win. Several weeks of poor results from both VfB and Feyenoord left me ready for the summer break almost.
That was a good win. Not the best of form recently, and a couple more knocks/injuries gave them all the excuse they needed to lose this one. This was a good game to build confidence going in to the home stretch!
Week 32: 11-9-12 42 points Hard fought 2-1 home win over Augsburg who certainly brought the fight to stay up. Kalajdzic assisted on first, Forster goal and then headed in the winner off a cross from Churlinov. Bredlow with several awesome saves to bail out the defense. Goals - Assists Kalajdzic 15 - 5 Wamangituka 11 - 5 Sosa 0 - 9 Gonzalez 6 - 2 Didavi 4 - 3 Castro 4 - 2 Endo 2 - 4 Forster 3 - 0 Kempf 2 - 1 Coulibaly 2 - 1 Mangala 1 - 2 Klement 1 - 2 Klimowicz 1 - 1 Thommy 0 - 2 Anton 0 - 1 Churlinov 0 - 1 Opponent own goal 2 Goals scored: 54 Goals conceded: 52 Clean sheets: 5
Bredlow was reading the strikers and stopped some of those at full stretch. I didn't even know his name before yesterday.
Yeah, Augsburg likely outshot VfB, but Bredlow kept them in the match until they could get their scoring down.
VfB visit Moenchengladbach tomorrow to take on Borussia in the Week 33 match. Probable lineup: Stuttgart: Bredlow - Mavropanos, Anton, Kempf - Massimo, Endo, Castro (c), Sosa - Förster, Didavi - Kalajdzic Since they included Massimo that means (hopefully) that his knock from last week was minor. Good news if true. He has been getting better by the match so I want to see him getting the minutes.
Actual lineup includes Kobel, Karazor, and Thommy instead of Bredlow, Castro, and Didavi, respectively.
72' Forster gives the ball to Endo expecting a 1-2 with him, but Wataru turns instead and hits a rocket past the keeper, 1-1.
Thanks for the pop, @Teak. I'm in the airport heading home from helping my brother find a new apartment and also moving.
Endo picked up a yellow card which is his 5th, and he will miss next week's final match. Matarazzo picked up a yellow card for complaining. VfB beat Borussia 2-1 in M'gladbach on an awesome second half performance. The second goal is credited to Kalajdzic, whose subtle deflection wrong-footed the keeper on Stenzel's shot, who gets the assist.
Week 33: 12-9-12 45 points A great second half performance gave VfB full points against Borussia in Moenchengladbach, 1-2. Forster set up Endo for a rocket from outside the box, and then Stenzel's shot from outside the box was subtlety deflected by Kalajdzic so that it wrong-footed the keeper. Goals - Assists Kalajdzic 16 - 5 Wamangituka 11 - 5 Sosa 0 - 9 Gonzalez 6 - 2 Didavi 4 - 3 Endo 3 - 4 Castro 4 - 2 Forster 3 - 1 Kempf 2 - 1 Coulibaly 2 - 1 Mangala 1 - 2 Klement 1 - 2 Klimowicz 1 - 1 Thommy 0 - 2 Anton 0 - 1 Churlinov 0 - 1 Stenzel 0 - 1 Opponent own goal 2 Goals scored: 56 Goals conceded: 53 Clean sheets: 5
VfB host Arminia Bielefeld tomorrow in the season finale. Arminia need the points to avoid relegation. VfB are safe. Probable lineup: Stuttgart: Kobel - Stenzel, Anton, Kempf - Massimo, Karazor, Castro (c), Sosa - Förster, Didavi - Kalajdzic Endo is suspended so our midfield won't be as strong, I expect. Definitely Castro's last match for VfB. I wonder if Stuttgart would even considering making a bid for Ritsu Doan. Doan played in the Dutch Eredivisie for Groningen and PSV. He was very good at Groningen, but never nailed down a starting spot for PSV. I think he would be good at one of the 2 positions behind the striker (the 2 in 3-4-2-1). He is on loan with Arminia this season, and if they get relegated, perhaps he would consider a move to another 1.B club rather than playing in 2.B next season.