Match summary:
The friendly against the Spanish top-flight side was played in four lots of 30 minutes. After a goalless first half-hour, Jamie Leweling gave VfB the lead in the 35th minute. A freak own goal by Celta made it 2-0 for Sebastian Hoeneß’s men just after the 80-minute mark. The visitors kept trying to score a goal of their own but needed Pascal Stenzel to turn the ball into his own net in the 116th minute to reduce the deficit.
The goals:
1-0 – 35th minute: Leweling receives the ball from Atakan Karazor, works some space for himself and finds the net with a brilliant long-range shot.
2-0 – 82nd minute: A long ball from Mirza Catovic is brought under control by Celta defender Carl Starfelt, but his back-pass slips through the feet of goalkeeper Ivan Villar and rolls over the line.
2-1 – 116th minute: A low cross from the right causes confusion in the VfB box. In a challenge with Pablo Duran, Stenzel inadvertently directs the ball into his own goal.
Line-up
First half: Bredlow – Assignon, Jaquez (Jeltsch 46'), Chabot (Hendriks 46'), Mittelstädt – Stiller, Karazor (C) – Jovanovic, Undav, Leweling – Demirovic.
Second half: Drljaca – Stenzel, Jeltsch (Catovic 75'), Hendriks, Meyer – Keitel (Al-Dakhil 91'), Nartey (Korkut 91') – Vagnoman, Penna, Führich – Sankoh.
Reaction from head coach Sebastian Hoeneß: “My assessment is positive. The boys were up against technically strong opponents. Celta Vigo have been in training for a few days longer, which you could notice at times. We stood up to that, even if we didn’t have the control we would’ve liked. We still didn’t create enough going forward, but in the second 60 minutes in particular I was very pleased with the intensity and the effort.”