Simon Terodde scored his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season as VfB Stuttgart closed in on promotion from the 2. Bundesliga with a 3-0 win against Erzgebirge Aue.

His penalty set them on their way in the first half, and soon after he added the second Alexandru Maxim scored another with a literal helping hand from Martin Männel.

If Eintracht Braunschweig fail to win on Monday night, Stuttgart will be able to secure promotion, and the title, with a win in the top-of-the-table clash with Hannover 96 next Sunday.

Two in-form sides

Stuttgart came into the game still top of the league despite Hannover drawing level on points after their victory against 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday.

After he scored the winning goal in stoppage time in their dramatic 3-2 win against 1. FC Nürnberg last Saturday, Florian Klein was given a start here at the expense of Takuma Asano.

Despite their impressive form under Domenico Tedesco since he took over, Aue remained one place above the bottom three after results earlier in the weekend, albeit with two points between them and 16th-placed Würzburger Kickers.

They made two changes from their win against Würzburg last weekend, with Sebastian Hertner and Philipp Riese replacing Fabio Kaufmann and Mario Kvesic.

Terodde ice cold from the spot

Both sides started brightly and both nearly scored cracking early goals. Dimitrij Nazarov has scored most of his goals recently from the spot but here he fired one from outside the box, with Mitchell Langerak having to make sure it stayed out. Klein then struck over at the other end after Maxim set him up.

However after Louis Samson barged into Terodde in the box, Stuttgart had the chance to take the lead from the spot. Terodde’s penalty was clinically put in at the post, out of the reach of Männel despite the Aue goalkeeper going the right way.

Despite a couple of chances for Josip Breaklo just after the goal, Stuttgart kept it steady thereafter, although Aue kept them on their toes. Nazarov shot over from a half-volley, with Pascal Köpke setting up a great chance for Calogero Rizzuto, but Langerak kept out his shot.

The Reds did push for a second though before half-time, but were unable to beat the obstacle that was Männel. He made two excellent saves to deny both Maxim, after a cross from Christian Gentner, and Terodde who capitalised on a mistake from Steve Breitkreuz.

Terodde and Maxim strike as Stuttgart cruise to victory

The second half got off to a slow start, with neither side able to create much going forward. The only real shot of note came from Clemens Fandrich, however Langerak was able to watch it go wide.

With just over twenty minutes left though, Stuttgart and Terodde got their second goal. Maxim found Emiliano Insúa on the left, and Terodde met his cross with a powerful and typically precise header, leaving Männel with little chance again.

Männel kept out another Terodde chance shortly after, but was then at fault for the third. Maxim found his way past two defenders in the box, and if the ball he played was a shot it wasn’t a very good one. Männel though stuck out an indecisive hand, with the ball deflecting off it and into his net.

Substitute Cebio Soukou had a half chance deflected out for a corner for Aue, which Nazarov then shot wide from, however after that Stuttgart comfortably saw out the game as they close in on an immediate return to the Bundesliga. Aue remain in fifteenth, but will still be confident of getting enough from their final two games in order to stay up.

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