Just a day after the 2-1 win over SD Eibar, the VfB players were in friendly action once again. On Monday evening in Grassau, the side in the shirts with the infamous hoop took on Istanbul Basaksehir. The club that finished in third place in Turkey’s Süper Lig last season also boast a former VfB player in Tunay Torun within their ranks.
On the night, head coach Tayfun Korkut’s men took the lead within the first quarter-hour, as Pablo Maffeo drove home an impressive strike from the edge of the box to make it 1-0 (14‘). Before the break, Berkay Özcan was then on target to deservedly make it 2-0 (39‘). The VfB coach made two changes to his side for the start of the second period, with Borna Sosa and Lukas Kiefer making way for Dennis Aogo and Alexander Groiß. The second-half initially continued in the same vein for the Cannstatt Boys as the first had. Just over ten minutes in, Chadrac Akolo won possession and netted to make it 3-0 (56‘). The joy at scoring a third goal was somewhat over-shadowed by an injury to the Congolese striker, who was subsequently forced out of the tie. In the 88th minute, Basaksehir reduced the deficit to 3-1 through Stefano Napoleoni – which was to prove the final score on the night.
Tayfun Korkut: "Right from the first minute, we took a very disciplined approach to this match. I am very satisfied with the manner in which the team stuck to their tactical instructions. Just as yesterday, it was a good test against a good opponent."
Line-up
13 Jens Grahl (C)
4 Marc Oliver Kempf
7 Pablo Maffeo
19 Chadrac Akolo (60‘ Anastasios Donis, 11)
23 Orel Mangala (74‘ Daniel Didavi, 10)
24 Borna Sosa (46‘ Dennis Aogo, 3)
29 David Kopacz (74‘ Emiliano Insua, 2)
31 Berkay Özcan
35 Marcin Kaminski
41 Lukas Kiefer (46‘ Alexander Groiß, 40)
42 Pedro Allgaier (60‘ Nicolas Gonzalez, 22)
Goals
1-0 Pablo Maffeo (14‘)
2-0 Berkay Özcan (39‘)
3-0 Chadrac Akolo (56‘)
3-1 Stefano Napoleoni (88')
