FC Basel secures dominant victory over VfB Stuttgart in Europa League group stage.
FC Basel achieved a commanding 2-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart at home in a Europa League group stage encounter. The win secures maximum points for Basel after the second matchday. Albian Ajeti opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a Stuttgart error just three minutes into the game, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Nübel. Moritz Broschinski sealed the result in the 84th minute, heading in a cross delivered by Xherdan Shaqiri.
Despite trailing early, Stuttgart displayed a determined performance, creating several significant chances to equalize. Tiago Tomás and Chema Andrés were particularly unlucky, missing opportunities from promising positions. Basel goalkeeper Marwin Hitz proved instrumental, making crucial saves, including denying Ermedin Demirović from the penalty spot in the 36th minute. Stuttgart made a late push for a comeback, introducing Josha Vagnoman and Lazar Jovanović, but were unable to overcome the deficit.
Basel adopted a defensive approach, relying on swift counter-attacks spearheaded by Shaqiri, while Stuttgart largely controlled possession. However, the German side struggled to convert their territorial advantage into goals. This victory significantly strengthens Basel’s position in the Europa League group stage, setting a positive foundation for their upcoming fixtures.