Hannover 96
| 1-1 | Stindl | (70. Min) |
VfB Stuttgart
| 0-1 | Gentner | (52. Min) |
Edgar Prib
Lars Stindl
Martin Harnik
Stats 
Alex Maxim in a duel during the game.
Hard earned point
Courageous, determined in the challenges and dangerous in attack – VfB were up for the game as they took on Hannover 96 in front of a 40,000 strong crowd in Lower Saxony on Saturday. For the bulk of the ninety minutes, Stuttgart were also the more active of the two sides and eventually took a deserved lead. At the end of a turbulent closing phase, which saw one player from each side red-carded, the score-board displayed a 1-1 result.
Huub Stevens made three changes to the eleven that began last weekend. Carlos Gruezo and Adam Hlousek returned to the bench, whilst Timo Baumgartl missed out through illness. Captain Christian Gentner was back from suspension to begin, whilst Daniel Ginczek and Alexandru Maxim also got the nod from the outset in Hanover.
The first chance for the Cannstatt Boys fell to Timo Werner, with fifteen minutes played. The 18 year olds header, from a cross by Christian Gentner failed to hit the target. VfB were the more active of the two teams and had their best chance on goal in the first half after 25 minutes. Christian Gentner drove in a shot from 20 meters out, which was deflected just wide of the right post by Hannover’s Christian Schulz. There was to be no further goal-mouth action during the first period and the sides went in at the break locked at 0-0.
Post match comments
Christian Gentner: „Just how valuable this point could be in the final reckoning is not something you can really say so soon after the match, but the manner in which we approached the game in Hanover was good. We were aggressive and always looked to get forward. Really we should have held on to our lead for the duration.“
Post match comments
High energy performance from the VfB captain
There was much of the same in the second half, with VfB again making the running and enjoying the wonderful backing of approximately 2,000 travelling fans. And in the 52nd minute, that group of fans were up and celebrating! Christian Gentner won possession on the edge of the H96 box and battled through the home defence, to find himself with only goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler to beat. The VfB captain made no mistake with his shot and slotted home to put the Cannstatt Boys in the driving seat.
Having gone behind, Hannover increased their attacking efforts and had a good chance to level through Miiko Albonorz, whose shot was turned against the crossbar by Sven Ulreich (64’). VfB had chances to increase their lead too, with Christian Gentner getting the ball past Ron-Robert Zieler from a tight angle, but unfortunately Christian Schulz got back to clear the danger and rescue his beaten keeper (68’). The hosts then had the luck on their side, with a Joselu header dropping for Lars Stindl, who fired home from close range to make it 1-1 (70‘).
In the closing phase, both teams upped the tempo. VfB were defensively impenetrable and bravely looked to get forward in search of a winner. Shortly before full-time, the emotions boiled over somewhat, with Lars Stindl and Martin Harnik clashing in midfield. Referee Wolfgang Stark brandished the second yellow card for the H96 man and issued a direct red for Harkin for his push on Lars Stand. There were to be no more goals on the day and both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
