Martin Harnik scored twice as VfB Stuttgart won 4-1 at SC Freiburg to climb provisionally off the bottom of the Bundesliga in Huub Stevens’ first game back in charge on Friday.
Harnik scored against the run of play in the 31st minute, heading home from close range after Antonio Ruediger headed on a corner, and he should have scored another shortly afterward when Roman Buerki saved in a one-on-one.
Vladimir Darida equalized with a shot from distance in the 42nd minute and there was still time before the break for Felix Klaus to hit the crossbar for Freiburg.
Photo: EPA
Carlos Gruezo restored the visitors’ lead in the 51st minute and Timo Werner made it 3-1 in the 68th. Both goals were preceded by defensive mistakes.
Any hopes Freiburg had of a comeback were dashed two minutes later when Stefan Mitrovic was sent off for hauling down Harnik.
The Austrian striker wrapped up the scoring in the 76th minute, set up by Japanese defender Gotoku Sakai.
“A crazy result,” Freiburg coach Christian Streich said.
Stevens, who helped steer Stuttgart away from relegation last season, was reappointed on Tuesday after Armin Veh resigned the day before.
“We had a bit of luck in the first half you have to say, but we showed in the second half what we can do,” the Dutchman said.
Stuttgart, who lost their previous three games, moved into the relegation playoff spot, level on points with Freiburg ahead of the rest of the 13th round of matches.
“When you win away from home against a direct rival then it gives you confidence, but we can’t get carried away,” said Stevens, who had warned that avoiding the drop would be harder this time around.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS