Stuttgart sparkle but Alvarez salvages draw for 10-man Atlético Madrid

VfB Stuttgart bossed the opening half but a Julian Alvarez goal upon the restart would be enough to see it end as a 1-1 stalemate.

VfB Stuttgart were left frustrated at full time tonight as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the 10 men of Atlético Madrid. Sebastian Hoeneß’ side bossed the opening half but Jamie Leweling’s strike was cancelled out shortly after the break by a Julian Alvarez stunner.

Defending the Cannstater Kurve to begin with, Atlético Madrid came under a barrage of fire starting with Bilal El Khannouss’ drive inside seconds. Jan Oblak was called into action, punching a fearsome Angelo Stiller hit after some fine work from Jamie Leweling out wide.

After a momentary let up, Stuttgart’s pressure finally told. Stiller picked the pockets of Marc Pubill, finding Leweling who dropped a feint before cutting onto his left peg to whip the ball inside the post. With that, a richly deserved interval lead for Hoeneß’ men. 

Keeping with Stuttgart’s topsy-turvy form this season, master tactician Diego Simione made the necessary tweaks at the break. Ademola Lookman making an instant impact, crossing for Julian Alvarez to volley into the top corner inside two minutes of the second-half.

A woeful challenge from Morten Hjulmand past the hour merited a straight red card, catching Stiller above the ankle. With Josha Vagnoman off the pitch, Lorenz Assignon put his cross from the flank on a plate for Grisha Prömel who steered it narrowly past the post.

Simione, keen to shut up shop, brought in Robin Le Normand. Jeff Chabot and Prömel launched Stuttgart’s final assault with another pair of near misses, but the winning moment never came. Four minutes of injury time yielded nothing more than a point apiece in the end.