VFB STUTTGART 3
(Undav 6, Demirovic 7, Chema Andrés 90)
YOUNG BOYS 2
(Gigovic 42, Lauper 57)
By Our Football Correspondent, Stuttgart
SPANISH sensation Chema Andrés was the toast of the MHP Arena last night as his 90th-minute strike settled a pulsating Europa League classic.
In a match that had more twists than a German pretzel, Stuttgart looked to have thrown it all away after blowing a two-goal lead. But the 20-year-old midfield starlet stepped up when it mattered most, firing home to break Swiss hearts and secure a vital 3-2 victory.
Sebastian Hoeneß’s men came out like a house on fire.
It took just six minutes for the MHP Arena to erupt when Deniz Undav—the man who can’t stop scoring—neatly side-footed home a cross from the rampaging Lorenz Assignon.
Before the visitors could even catch their breath, it was two.
Just 60 seconds later, Undav turned provider, slipping a delightful ball through to Ermedin Demirovic, who kept his cool to slot past Marvin Keller. At 2-0 after seven minutes, it looked like a massacre was on the cards.
But the “Young Boys” refused to play the role of victims. Just before the break, Armin Gigovic sparked the comeback, pouncing on a rare lapse by keeper Fabian Bredlow to hammer a shot into the top corner.
The momentum shifted entirely in the 57th minute when Sandro Lauper produced a moment of pure magic, unleashing a thunderous 20-yard volley from a half-cleared corner to level the scores. Suddenly, the German giants were wobbling.
With the game heading for a nervy stalemate, it was the substitute Jamie Leweling who found the spark, driving down the flank to pull back a low cross.
There was Chema Andrés, arriving late in the box to guide the ball home and send the home crowd into delirium.
The win secures Stuttgart a seeded spot in the play-off round, while Young Boys are left to rue a missed chance after a brave second-half showing.
