Wolfsburg and Gerhardt break Stuttgart hearts

Wolfsburg 3-2 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 0-1 Guirassy 22' (assist: Ito), 1-1 Marmoush 23' (assist: Kaminski), 2-1 Arnold 38', 2-2 Mavropanos 45'+1 (assist: Stenzel), 3-2 Gerhardt 90'+1 (assist: Svanberg)

Wolfsburg had failed to win at the Volkswagen Arena in the Bundesliga this season while Stuttgart were looking for their very first triumph in the top flight, home or away, this term. That hunger for maximum points fuelled an exciting first half in which the hosts signalled their intent first, Gerhardt and Omar Marmoush drawing super stops from Florian Müller in quick succession. Despite their winless start to the campaign, Stuttgart picked up some notable draws against the likes of Bayern Munich and Leipzig and they were on point again here when Hiroki Ito's deflected cross was converted by Serhou Guirassy. Momentarily grimacing on the touchline, coach Niko Kovac almost immediately broke into celebration when former VfB loanee Marmoush broke his Wolfsburg scoring duck with an equaliser that flew in at the near post. Even better was to come for the Wolves when a howler from Müller led to Maxi Arnold's tame strike from distance being fumbled into the net. Undeterred, Pellegrino Matarazzo's men rallied and they were level before the break when Konstantinos Mavropanos nodded home Pascal Stenzel's centre.

Die Schwaben picked up a vital 2-0 victory here on their way to Bundesliga survival last season and, after the break in this game, they looked good value to put the home side to the sword once again. The always energetic Silas left Maxence Lacroix for dead before thundering a shot against the frame of the goal while captain Wataru Endo then fluffed a top chance when played in on the right. As the half progressed, Mavropanos drew a reflex save from Koen Casteels before Gerhardt lifted the pressure off Kovac's side with an attempt off target. The game ticking into injury time and Stuttgart appearing set for yet another draw, Wolfsburg pounced as the rain teemed down. Mattias Svanberg's centre created panic in the visiting defence and when the ball broke for Gerhardt, the 28-year-old couldn't miss.

• Marmoush scored for the first time for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. He netted three times while on loan at VfB last season.
• Also on target in the 2-2 draw against Bayern, Guirassy now has two goals in his last three games.
• Stenzel provided his first Bundesliga assist since May 2021.
• Mavropanos's scored his fifth German top-flight goal, and his first from a header.
• Of Arnold's 35 Bundesliga goals, 16 have been scored from long range.
• Wolfsburg hit a season-high 19 shots in this game.
• Stuttgart are still waiting for a win after eight games, their longest such run at the start of a Bundesliga campaign.

>>> Get Gerhardt for your Fantasy team for 5.5M!

Watch: Yannick Gerhardt - 'Last-minute win good for morale'

Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Lacroix (Bornauw 85'), Van de Ven, Otavio - Svanberg, Arnold (c), Gerhardt - Wimmer (F. Nmecha 85'), Marmoush (Franjic 90'+4), Kaminski (Paredes 76')
Unused subs: Pervan, Guilavogui, Fischer, Philipp, Waldschmidt
Out: Kruse (not considered), L. Nmecha (knee), Roussillon (Achilles), Wind (thigh)
Coach: Niko Kovac

Stuttgart: Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Ito - Stenzel (Zagadou 77'), Endo (Millot 68') (c), Karazor, Ahamada (Egloff 87'), Führich (Tomas 77') - Guirassy (Pfeiffer 77'), Silas
Unused subs: Bredlow, Nartey, Coulibaly, Perea
Out: Sosa (fever), Vagnoman (foot)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo