1. FC Köln
| 1-0 | Modeste | (19. Min) |
VfB Stuttgart
| 1-1 | Didavi | (36. Min) |
| 1-2 | Werner | (51. Min) |
| 1-3 | Gentner | (83. Min) |
Georg Niedermeier
Stats 
Siegreicher Auftakt
VfB Stuttgart have begun the second half of the season by continuing their positive run. Trainer Jürgen Kramny’s men moved on to four consecutive Bundesliga games without defeat. With the win in Cologne, the Cannstatt Boys move on to nine consecutive games without defeat, as they notched up a not undeserved 3-1 (1-1) away victory.
In a high-tempo game of football, Christian Gentner & Co. battled their way back from behind with an extremely determined performance, to take their first three points of the year.
Personnel
VfB trainer Jürgen Kramny started with the same eleven that began in the final wither test friendly last weekend against Würzburger Kickers. As such, winter signing Kevin Großkreutz made his first competitive start in the shirt with the infamous red hoop. In addition, Mitch Langerak was back from injury and in the VfB squad for the first time this season.
Highlights
10th minute: VfB make a good start to the game. The Cannstatt Boys are aggressive in the challenges, are doing well in consistently winning back possession and are the better side.
Christian Gentner: "In this game we basically allowed very few chances through on our goal, but the one we did conceded we invited FC to score. By now though, we have the patience and the balance to come back from behind. In the break we gave ourselves a push and then turned the tie. This win will boost our confidence ahead of next weekend’s difficult task."
Post-match comments
19th minute: Köln take a lucky lead. The hosts pounce on a loss of possession by VfB to hit on the break. In the VfB penalty area, Georg Niedermeier and Marcel Risse collide. The Köln attacker seeks the contact and goes tumbling. Referee Manuel Gräfe awards the spot-kick, which Anthony Modeste converts to put the home side in front.
36th minute: Timo Horn is unable to hold onto a shot from Timo Werner and Daniel Didavi powers in to slam the loose ball home for a deserved equaliser.
51st minute: What a start to the second half of the match for VfB! From a Filip Kostic corner delivery, Timo Werner rises to head the visitors from Stuttgart into a 2-1 lead.
83rd minute: The decider! Christian Gentner slots home from ten meters out after some very clever play from Lukas Rupp to make it 3-1 for the Cannstatt Boys.
90th minute: Köln put the pressure on in search of a way back, but Przemyslaw Tyton is solid as a rock between the posts for VfB, stopping anything which comes his way. The ref blows the final whistle and a well-deserved three points are making their way back to Stuttgart.
Summary
The waiting for VfB is finally over – the waiting for a win in the first game after the winter break! The Cannstatt Boys last managed that particular feat back in 2011, but on Saturday, it was a deserved victory for the Cannstatt Boys. Right from the outset, Kramny’s men were aggressive in the challenges, maintained the high-tempo over the ninety minutes and completed some very good moves with well-taken goals. Kramny’s men were never knocked out of the stride by the initial set-back, not least as the team always proved compact in their approach and ultimately secured a deserved three points.
