VfB Stuttgart
| 1-0 | Ibisevic | (29. Min) |
FC Bayern München
| 1-1 | Pizarro | (76. Min) |
| 1-2 | Thiago | (90.+3. Min) |
Moritz Leitner
Stats 
Vedad Ibisevic was on target against Bayern.
Bitter end!
They battled non-stop – no challenge unworthy, no meter too far! In the rescheduled game from match day 17 at the capacity filled Mercedes-Benz Arena caused the reigning champions serious problems, but were bitterly left empty handed with the game finishing 1-2.
VfB trainer Thomas Schneider made two changes to the side that began against 1. FSV Mainz 05 at the weekend. The injured Christian Gentner was replaced by Rani Khedira, whilst Timo Werner got the nod ahead of Alexandru Maxim on the left wing.
VfB were disciplined from the outset – always willing to put in the leg-work and close down the spaces to prevent the visitors from Munich from creating openings. In the 12th minute, the eyes of the 60,000 strong crowd were fixed on the Bayern box. From a Martin Harnik delivery, Timo Werner headed on Manuel Neuer’s goal. The effort was prevented by the flailing arm of Rafinha, but, as a bellowing demand for a penalty rang around the Arena, referee Manuel Gräfe remained unmoved and waved play to continue.
VfB take the initiative
Schneider’s men quickly put their frustration over the decision behind them, continuing to hold a solid line at the back, forcing errors from the guests and making pointed attacks of their own. One of those attacks was then to prove decisive. A shot from Timo Werner fell to the feet of Vedad Ibisevic, who played a clever one-two with Mohammed Abdellaoue and subsequently slotted coolly past Neuer to put the hosts in front (29‘). Having taken the lead, VfB remained as disciplined as they had been from the start, allowing Bayern to put just one dangerous move together before the break – a shot from Thiago which Sven Ulreich had no trouble dealing with. As a result of their determined efforts, VfB took their 1-0 advantage into the break.
With the very first move of the second half, Vedad Ibisevic had the opportunity to increase his side’s lead, but the Bosnian striker was unable to turn his shot on goal (47’). The next opening was also created by the hosts, who moved the ball quickly between their ranks to open up a shooting opportunity for Martin Harnik, but having beaten the Bayern keeper, the Austrian international was denied by Jérôme Boateng’s clearance just shy of the goal-line (53’). Bayern had the bulk of the possession again in the second period but appeared to have no recipe to break down the VfB resolve.
Quote for the game
Thomas Schneider: "I am very, very disappointed to have lost this game"
Post match comments
The few attempts on goal by last season’s treble winners were dealt with by Sven Ulreich. In the 71st minute, the VfB keeper turned away another effort from Thiago for a corner and then denied Thomas Müller just two minutes later. In the 76th minute though, the unyielding VfB resolve was finally broken. Substitute Claudio Pizzaro rose to meek a free-kick delivery and head the Bavarians back on level terms. With the score-line at 1-1, VfB made another surge forwards and had a chance to restore their lead through Timo Werner, but the youngster was unable to get the better of Manuel Neuer. In what was to become a tense closing period, the game could have swung either way but, deep in injury time, it was the visitors who made the breakthrough, with Thiago executing a perfectly time flying volley to make it 2-1 for Bayern and leave a dejected VfB eleven totally empty handed at the end of a massive team effort.
