VfB lack cutting edge in Rome

Match highlights

Fans at the Stadio Olimpico were treated to a high-octane match right from kick-off, with VfB Stuttgart dictating play with clever passing. The first real chance fell to Maximilian Mittelstädt as early as the second minute, but his shot from inside the box was too high.

Roma come close

The Italian side then began to steer things their way and carve out more possession, with their first goalscoring opportunity coming on the 20-minute mark. Matias Soulé weaved his way to the edge of penalty area and let fly, but the ball sailed over the bar.

Leweling thwarted by Svilar

After half an hour, it was Jamie Leweling’s turn to have a shot from just inside the box, but Roma ‘keeper Mile Svilar was on hand to make a decent save, with Alexander Nübel doing the same at the other end to keep out Evan Ferguson (39’).

Goal before the break

Barely a minute later, however, Nübel was fishing the ball out of the back of the net. Niccolo Pisilli was picked out perfectly in the box and fired home into the left-hand corner from eight yards out (40’). The VfB goalie then had to make sure that the deficit was not doubled almost from the restart, this time keeping out Lorenzo Pellegrini’s effort.

Not Undav’s night

From the restart, Deniz Undav had the equaliser on his boot (47’), only to see Svilar come to Roma’s rescue once again. In the 58^th minute, Undav was then unmarked eight yards out but failed to convert. At the other end of the pitch, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side were out of sorts at the back early in the second half and lucky that the hosts did not convert their chances.

Demirovic misses from close range, Pisilli secures the points

VfB continued to push for an equaliser against a well-organised Roma defence, and once again Svilar was called on to make a fine save from Lorenz Assignon (67’). The home ’keeper also beat out a close-range shot from substitute Ermedin Demirovic in the 79^th minute, before Pisilli showed VfB how to do it, doubling his own and his team’s tally in time added on (90’+3) and sending the Roma fans home happy.

Goals

40^th minute: From midfield, Matias Soulé plays a perfect ball into the box to find Niccolo Pisilli, who drills home an unstoppable shot from eight yards out.

93^rd minute: Paulo Dybala fires the ball square across the penalty area to Pisilli, who keeps his cool and makes it 2-0 from point-blank range.