Oxford on target as Augsburg beat Stuttgart

Augsburg 4-1 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 0-1 Führich 7’ (assist: Endo), 1-1 Oxford 30’ (assist: Maier), 2-1 Gouweleeuw 53’ (assist: Vargas), 3-1 Niederlechner 72’ (assist: Finnbogason), 4-1 Finnbogason 81' (assist: Zeqiri)

Stuttgart got off to an excellent start, pushing Augsburg back and taking the lead inside seven minutes when Chris Führich came in off the right flank before finding the near bottom corner with his left foot. His game didn’t last too much longer, however, as injury forced him off after 22 minutes. The home side fought their way back into proceedings, Ruben Vargas and Alfred Finnbogason both firing off efforts. The latter’s shot was saved, but the ensuing corner brought Die Fuggerstädter level when Oxford headed in Arne Maier’s delivery. Stuttgart suffered a further injury setback when Marc-Oliver Kempf also had to go off before the break. Another set piece almost gave Augsburg a half-time lead, but Oxford failed to hit the target this time.

There was no mistake in the second half, though, when another corner – this time from the left – proved Stuttgart’s undoing. Vargas didn’t quite connect with the cross and the ball popped up. The quickest to react was Augsburg captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw to nod past a stranded Fabian Bredlow. Finnbogason had a chance to put some distance between these two Swabian neighbours but was denied by a last-ditch block by England U21 international Clinton Mola. The three points were finally in the bag when substitute Florian Niederlechner hammered home from close range after the visitors again failed to clear their lines at a cross. The icing on the cake came when Finnbogason drove one past Bredlow from the edge of the box for his first goal in over a year. Augsburg remain in the relegation play-off spot but are now four points clear of Arminia Bielefeld below them, and only one off Stuttgart in safety.

• Führich’s goal was Stuttgart’s quickest of the season and their first in the opening 10 minutes.
• He’s the 10th different player to strike for VfB in the Bundesliga this term. Only Hoffenheim have had more goalscorers.
• Oxford has now scored two goals in his last three Bundesliga games, having failed to score in his first 57. All three of his competitive goals this season have come from set pieces.
• This was the first time Augsburg had scored more than one goal in a Bundesliga game this season.
• It was also the first time in 2021 that they had earned points from a losing position. They had previously lost all 19 games when trailing this year
• Augsburg scored four goals in a game for the first time since a 4-2 win at Hoffenheim in December 2019. The last time it happened at home was in November 2019 against Hertha Berlin (4-0).

Watch: Gouweleeuw: "We have to keep fighting"

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Gumny, Gouweleeuw (c), Oxford, Pedersen (Framberger 85') – Caligiuri (Hahn 61’), Maier (Dorsch 69’), Strobl (Gruezo 61’), Vargas (Niederlechner 69’) – Zeqiri, Finnbogason
Unused subs: Koubek, Winther, Cordova, Gregoritsch
Out: Iago (hand), Jensen (ill), Sarenren Bazee (knee), Uduokhai (hamstring)
Coach: Markus Weinzierl

Stuttgart: Bredlow - Anton, Ito (Stenzel 67’), Kempf (Mola 39’) – Führich (Coulibaly 22’), Mangala, Endo (c), Sosa – Didavi (Förster 46’) – Klimowicz (Fahgir 67’), Al Ghaddioui
Unused subs: Schock, Nartey, Ahamada, Beyaz
Out: Kalajdzic (shoulder), Karazor (suspended), Marmoush (ankle), Massimo (match fitness), Mavropanos (pelvis), Millot (knee), Müller (match fitness), Silas (knee), Thommy (match fitness)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo 

Watch: Matarazzo: "We have more potential than we showed"