An 88th minute winner from super substitute Artem Kravets helped VfB Stuttgart defeat Hamburg SV at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion. This win for Stuttgart was absolutely massive as it saw them move two points clear of Werder Bremen who slip down to the 16th spot. Hamburg lost ground in the league table with this defeat, slipping down to 11th.
The first 45 minutes were wonderfully frantic. Both sides attacked each other up and down the pitch, looking for any kind of space to exploit. The chances though came few and far between and the half ended as it began with no goals scored.
During the second half, the play in the final third of the pitch had more ingenuity and the chances between the two clubs increased and tested both goalkeepers.
Chances finally start falling
Timo Werner had a great opportunity to strike first just two minutes after the interval when he was found by Lukas Rupp inside the area. The Hamburg goalkeeper came off his line, made himself big and made an excellent stop on the young striker. Then moments late, Keving Großkreutz's shot got blocked off the line following some Helter Skelter defending in the 18 yard box.
Six minutes after the hour mark, a goal was finally scored and it came off the head of Daniel Didavi. It was ruled an own goal though as the ball bounced off of Aaron Hunt before it found its way into the back of the net. The match had been an enthralling encounter already with both sides getting chance after chance but lacked that goal until this point.
Artjoms Rudnevs was only on the pitch for a couple of minutes when he leveled the match in spectacular fashion with 13 minutes remaining. Matthias Ostrzolek whipped in a dangerous cross and Rudnevs dove for the ball, full stretch and his head directed it past Przemysław Tyton to give his side a bit of hope considering that that goal came against the run of play.
There was nearly a second goal scored, two minutes later after Hamburg built up play nicely before Ivo Ilicevic found space inside the area before watching Tyton make a stop on his effort. Lassoga thought he had scored the go-ahead goal, after he turned magnificently to open up a bit of space, but his shot missed by mere inches.
Kravets scores winner late
That hope, whatever little there was, got squashed with two minutes to go. Two of Stuttgart's substitutes combined for the goal with Alexandru Maxim lifting his head up before whipping in a cross onto the head of the goal scorer, Kravets. This showed the shrewdness of the two subs as they both gave their side a bit of a spark and the victory when the final whistle blew.
Stuttgart came away the deserved winners as they had more about them in the final third of the pitch and created more of the chances sending their supporters home happy in the end.
The guests will head back home in the next round as they welcome in Köln while Stuttgart go on the road to face Eintracht Frankfurt in match day 20.