By Rich
Stuttgart enjoyed its first home win of the season on Friday with a 2:0 victory over Mainz. Mainz seemed to dominate the match during the first half, but that all changed ten minutes into the second half, when Borna Sosa sent a cross from the left to Sasa Kalajdzic, who headed the ball into the goal. The victory was then sealed in the seventy-second minute by Silas Wamangituka, who ran the ball nearly the length of the pitch to score his eleventh goal of the season. Wamangituka became the first Stuttgart player to score eleven goals after the first nineteen games of the season since Fredi Bobic, who did the same twenty-four years ago, during the 1996/7 season. On Saturday, all eyes will turn to the Leipzig-Leverkusen match, as Leipzig looks to defend its second-place position in the table against the club with the second-tightest defense in the league. Although in second place, Leipzig have experienced an erratic start to 2021, thanks in part to a stunning 3:2 defeat last weekend at the hands of Mainz. The gap between the club and first-place Bayern has now widened to seven points, so Leipzig cannot a second consecutive defeat. Although American player Tyler Adams scored his first Bundesliga goal last weekend, he may be dropped in favor of returning Kevin Kampl and Nordi Mukiele. Leipzig will be without the services of Emil Forsberg, who he is out with a knee injury, but may see the return from a groin problem of Yussuf Poulsen. Leverkusen have also struggled recently, with four losses in their last six contests, but they have nevertheless defeated Dortmund. Leverkusen’s attack on Saturday is likely to be led by club captain Charles Aranguiz, Florian Wirtz, and Kerem Demirbay in the midfield, backing up either Lucas Alario or Patrik Schick. Four of the past nine Bundesliga meetings between the two clubs have resulted in draws, including the last three. Looking ahead to Sunday, two clubs in proximity to relegation will face off, when Köln host Bielefeld. Köln are going into the match with new signings Max Meyer and Emmanuel Dennis, and a win over Bielefeld could leapfrog them out of the relegation play-off spot. Although Köln have defeated nearby rivals Dortmund and Schalke this season, they lost to Bielefeld 1:0 in the reverse fixture this season, and Bielefeld are coming off of victories over Hertha and Stuttgart and a loss to Frankfurt. Finally on Sunday, two other top-form clubs will wrap up the competition when Wolfsburg host Freiburg. This will be Wolfsburg’s 400th home game in the Bundesliga.
Stuttgart enjoyed its first home win of the season on Friday with a 2:0 victory over Mainz. Mainz seemed to dominate the match during the first half, but that all changed ten minutes into the second half, when Borna Sosa sent a cross from the left to Sasa Kalajdzic, who headed the ball into the goal. The victory was then sealed in the seventy-second minute by Silas Wamangituka, who ran the ball nearly the length of the pitch to score his eleventh goal of the season. Wamangituka became the first Stuttgart player to score eleven goals after the first nineteen games of the season since Fredi Bobic, who did the same twenty-four years ago, during the 1996/7 season. On Saturday, all eyes will turn to the Leipzig-Leverkusen match, as Leipzig looks to defend its second-place position in the table against the club with the second-tightest defense in the league. Although in second place, Leipzig have experienced an erratic start to 2021, thanks in part to a stunning 3:2 defeat last weekend at the hands of Mainz. The gap between the club and first-place Bayern has now widened to seven points, so Leipzig cannot a second consecutive defeat. Although American player Tyler Adams scored his first Bundesliga goal last weekend, he may be dropped in favor of returning Kevin Kampl and Nordi Mukiele. Leipzig will be without the services of Emil Forsberg, who he is out with a knee injury, but may see the return from a groin problem of Yussuf Poulsen. Leverkusen have also struggled recently, with four losses in their last six contests, but they have nevertheless defeated Dortmund. Leverkusen’s attack on Saturday is likely to be led by club captain Charles Aranguiz, Florian Wirtz, and Kerem Demirbay in the midfield, backing up either Lucas Alario or Patrik Schick. Four of the past nine Bundesliga meetings between the two clubs have resulted in draws, including the last three. Looking ahead to Sunday, two clubs in proximity to relegation will face off, when Köln host Bielefeld. Köln are going into the match with new signings Max Meyer and Emmanuel Dennis, and a win over Bielefeld could leapfrog them out of the relegation play-off spot. Although Köln have defeated nearby rivals Dortmund and Schalke this season, they lost to Bielefeld 1:0 in the reverse fixture this season, and Bielefeld are coming off of victories over Hertha and Stuttgart and a loss to Frankfurt. Finally on Sunday, two other top-form clubs will wrap up the competition when Wolfsburg host Freiburg. This will be Wolfsburg’s 400th home game in the Bundesliga.
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