Stuttgart put on a show for the ages as they annihilated Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in their Bundesliga encounter. The visitors, led by coach Sebastian Hoeness and boasting seven current national team players in their starting lineup, were on a mission to prove themselves against one of their biggest rivals.
The home side, who have dominated Stuttgart over recent years, were left looking lost for words as they struggled to cope with the intensity and pace of the visitors. Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling was the star of the show, scoring two goals and providing an assist as he tore Leverkusen apart at both ends of the pitch.
The Leverkusen defense was breached twice in the opening 20 minutes, with Leweling lashing home a shot from outside the area to make it 2-0. Deniz Undav then added to the tally, scoring his 10th goal in his last 11 matches as Stuttgart continued to pile on the pressure.
The third goal came from Jamie Leweling again, who stepped inside and slotted past the Leverkusen goalkeeper with ease. The fourth and final goal of the first half was also scored by Leweling, making it a staggering 4-0 at halftime.
Leverkusen's Kasper Hjulmand, the team's coach, struggled to explain his side's performance, admitting that he didn't have a decent explanation for how they were beaten so comprehensively. Stuttgart's victory has taken them level on points with the champions and narrowed the gap in goal difference, while also propelling them into the top six.
The win is a testament to Hoeness' tactics and his team's development over recent months. Leweling, in particular, has been outstanding, scoring 10 goals in his last 11 matches and providing five assists. The Stuttgart board believes that if they can keep Leweling until the summer, they will be rewarded with an even bigger transfer fee.
The victory is also a significant result for Hoeness, who has built a strong squad at VfB Stuttgart since taking over as coach. His team's performances have been impressive, and this latest win shows that he has finally got his tactics right.
The Bundesliga table now reads: Bayern Munich are top with 51 points from 16 wins, followed by Borussia Dortmund on 33 points from 10 wins. Stuttgart is in fourth place with 29 points from 8 wins.
The home side, who have dominated Stuttgart over recent years, were left looking lost for words as they struggled to cope with the intensity and pace of the visitors. Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling was the star of the show, scoring two goals and providing an assist as he tore Leverkusen apart at both ends of the pitch.
The Leverkusen defense was breached twice in the opening 20 minutes, with Leweling lashing home a shot from outside the area to make it 2-0. Deniz Undav then added to the tally, scoring his 10th goal in his last 11 matches as Stuttgart continued to pile on the pressure.
The third goal came from Jamie Leweling again, who stepped inside and slotted past the Leverkusen goalkeeper with ease. The fourth and final goal of the first half was also scored by Leweling, making it a staggering 4-0 at halftime.
Leverkusen's Kasper Hjulmand, the team's coach, struggled to explain his side's performance, admitting that he didn't have a decent explanation for how they were beaten so comprehensively. Stuttgart's victory has taken them level on points with the champions and narrowed the gap in goal difference, while also propelling them into the top six.
The win is a testament to Hoeness' tactics and his team's development over recent months. Leweling, in particular, has been outstanding, scoring 10 goals in his last 11 matches and providing five assists. The Stuttgart board believes that if they can keep Leweling until the summer, they will be rewarded with an even bigger transfer fee.
The victory is also a significant result for Hoeness, who has built a strong squad at VfB Stuttgart since taking over as coach. His team's performances have been impressive, and this latest win shows that he has finally got his tactics right.
The Bundesliga table now reads: Bayern Munich are top with 51 points from 16 wins, followed by Borussia Dortmund on 33 points from 10 wins. Stuttgart is in fourth place with 29 points from 8 wins.