VfB concludes the first half of the season with a well-deserved, albeit somewhat surprising, victory against Leipzig following Sunday’s match. The team rewarded themselves and their coach for his bold lineup choices with a spirited performance.
One could certainly get used to victories for Mario Gomez and his team, especially when they’re achieved as dynamically as they were on Wednesday evening. VfB managed to defeat Leipzig’s beverage subsidiary for the second time in a row, something that seemed impossible in recent years, and ended the first half of this season in fifth place with 29 points—their second-best record since their championship season. This outcome wasn’t apparent on Sunday evening (what an intense schedule, unbelievable). While the team also won that match—away from home and without conceding a goal—it was against an opponent whose lack of threat was only surpassed yesterday in Union Berlin’s direct clash.
This doesn’t mean VfB isn’t better than a narrow 1–0 against Augsburg. On the contrary: we are much better. And against Leipzig, the team showed it, rallying after an unnecessary deficit—and an even more unnecessary celebration by Sesko aimed at the Cannstatter Kurve—fighting back into the game and rewarding themselves after halftime with two stunning goals. The players with the crest on their chests demonstrated exactly the bite and determination that were missing in Augsburg after the first 30 minutes.
In my post-match report, I speculated that VfB would once again adapt to their opponent on Wednesday and subsequently improve their performance. And that’s precisely what happened. Even though Leipzig had their attacking trio—Sesko, Xavi, and Openda—fully available this time, they managed just one goal and only six shots overall against a passionately defending VfB team and the post. VfB, on the other hand, took 14 shots, six of which were on target, won nearly two-thirds of their duels, ran three kilometers more, and weren’t intimidated by the fourth-placed team’s threat. Nor was their coach, who not only replaced Maxi Mittelstädt, who was dealing with a groin issue, with Ramon Hendriks as expected but also rotated in several positions in preparation for the first midweek fixture of the year and Saturday’s home game against Freiburg. This gave Ameen Al-Dakhil and Jacob Bruun Larsen their starting XI debuts, allowing Enzo Millot, Jamie Leweling, and Ermedin Demirovic to rest on the bench—a luxury given their quality as substitutes.
A Showcase of Talent
Both the team and Sebastian Hoeneß were rewarded for their courage. The players threw themselves into challenges, and Al-Dakhil, Hendriks, and Bruun Larsen delivered promising performances. Al-Dakhil, though he committed what felt like a few too many fouls, made a crucial last-ditch tackle before the equalizer and impressed in the first half with a beautiful long ball forward. Hendriks kept his side of the back four mostly secure, and Bruun Larsen crowned another committed performance with a headed goal. At this point, I must offer a mea culpa. During his introduction, I wasn’t convinced he could help us in the short term. Evidently, he’s eager to prove himself and sees the move from Hoffenheim’s lack of prospects—also evident in their dismal performance last night—to Stuttgart’s factory of hope as a liberation.
Amid all the praise for those three, one player shouldn’t be forgotten: Deniz Undav. In Augsburg, he scored the decisive goal on the rebound. On Wednesday, he initiated both goals: the first with a wonderful cross, the second with his run and shot after an excellent pass from the consistently strong Chris Führich. Nick Woltemade capitalized on the rebound to notch his fifth goal of the season.
At the post-match press conference, Leipzig coach Marco Rose—who began by praising the Neckarstadion in glowing terms—said he sees both VfB and his club back in the Champions League by the end of the season. We’re, of course, still far from that, but Wednesday evening’s match was once again a showcase of what this team is capable of. I’d be content with another international competition; what’s most important to me is that the team retains the attitude they displayed on Wednesday for every game.
On Saturday, the team must avenge their first-leg loss to Freiburg, where they collapsed after taking an early lead. Then, on Tuesday, they’ll face a Bratislava side used to winning in their domestic league and, like Belgrade, will throw everything they have into international competition. If we can maintain this courage and commitment, not only will the second half of the season be excellent, but Rose’s prediction may very well come true.
Picture: © Alex Grimm/Getty Images