Stuttgart beat Bayer Leverkusen to take huge step towards Champions League football

[p]An entertaining first half saw both teams score inside the first five minutes, [b]with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-aleix/QD7noPXB/"]Aleix Garcia[/a] firing into the near post after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kofane-christian-michel/jk7yHyMk/"]Christian Kofane[/a] released him following a fast break. [/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vfb-stuttgart/nJQmYp1B/"]Stuttgart[/a] responded immediately, though, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/demirovic-ermedin/dIsZ5Eyb/"]Ermedin Demirovic[/a] - who was undoubtedly the hosts’ biggest threat -[b] played a neat one-two with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nartey-nikolas/ja18uZOO/"]Nikolas Nartey[/a] before striking his 15th competitive strike of the season into the far corner.[/b][/p][p]As well as giving the Swabians an immediate uplift, the goal also marked Demirovic's third successive goalscoring outing.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="6914bfb2-85a4-44ae-bfa3-e7fc75a3b697" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="bad6639f-fb13-494b-a7cd-c71fa8de6cf0" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]Given the high stakes surrounding this clash, both sides continued to attack vigorously, and both goalkeepers were called into action in quick succession, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nubel-alexander/Igk6vzlT/"]Alexander Nubel[/a] saving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maza-ibrahim/zPa6aAD8/"]Ibrahim Maza[/a]’s volley later in the first half.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flekken-mark/INE64p13/"]Mark Flekken[/a] then parried away [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fuhrich-chris/bczcNJFB/"]Chris Fuhrich[/a]’s cross-come-shot, and while the reliable Demirovic was there for the follow-up, his goalbound strike was brilliantly blocked by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tapsoba-edmond/d4z5zQ7g/"]Edmond Tapsoba[/a].[/p][p]The striker only continued to terrorise [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Leverkusen[/a]’s defence, though, and won a penalty on the stroke of half-time when Tapsoba tripped him up inside the box. [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mittelstadt-maximilian/x0JgoYBA/"]Maximilian Mittelstadt[/a] coolly converted the subsequent spot kick to complete the turnaround.[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="66ff8e86-3af3-4135-a079-d61138baf059" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="67f56682-b692-4a59-9281-2b837aeea417" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]It was a very timely event, and Stuttgart built on that immediately after half-time, scoring an apparent third when an offside Demirovic slotted home after Flekken spilt [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/undav-deniz/tUHAdtMH/"]Deniz Undav[/a]'s original shot.[/p][p]The Dutchman was then called into action again, first stopping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stiller-angelo/0hF2GIXS/"]Angelo Stiller[/a]’s effort before palming over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chabot-julian/f1kf4eiH/"]Jeff Chabot[/a]’s header from a corner.[/p][p][b]However, he was helpless to stop Undav poking home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leweling-jamie/UTtpcjym/"]Jamie Leweling[/a]’s whipped cross for his 19th league goal this term - his best-ever return in the Bundesliga.[/b][/p][embed guid="ca1c2048-88a5-4050-98a5-594af6ad3c54" url="https://x.com/VfB/status/2053130744562692303" social-type="twitter" /][p]Leverkusen looked more threatening in the latter stages but ultimately packed little punch, as they surrendered their advantage in the race for UCL football heading into the final day.[/p][p]As for Stuttgart, they are in the driving seat for a top-four finish, after recording a league double over their opponents - something of a statement in itself, given that they had won just once in 29 H2Hs (D8, L20) prior to this season.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/demirovic-ermedin/dIsZ5Eyb/"]Ermedin Demirovic[/a] (Stuttgart)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bayer-leverkusen-4jcj2zMd/stuttgart-nJQmYp1B/?mid=EiKIbMXI"]Catch up on the match with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]