Shortly before the end, Laurin Ulrich had a chance to score the winning goal for VfB. Photo: Press photo Baumann/Alexander Keppler
Two weeks before the first competitive regional league game of the year, the U21s tested their form against SpVgg Ansbach. Some players from the extended professional squad were also present at the game in Bavaria.
The U21 of VfB Stuttgart drew goalless from the Bayern regional league team in a friendly against SpVgg Ansbach on Sunday afternoon. On the artificial turf pitch next to the Xaver-Bertsch-Sportpark, around 200 spectators saw a lively game and an Ansbach team that played motivated against the definitely favored Stuttgart team.
The opening phase belonged to the hosts, who cheered each other loudly on the pitch and from the bench. After smaller chances, VfB keeper Dominik Draband was forced to make a strong save in the goalkeeper’s corner after about half an hour. The finer technicians were in the Stuttgart squad, but the zero nines were fully present in terms of presence on the pitch. Like the professionals the day before in Darmstadt, the VfB players needed some saving blocks and tackles. So it went into the break goalless. Ansbach was also the slightly better team at the start of the second half.
Momentum through change after the break
Then VfB coach Markus Fiedler brought momentum into his team’s game with well-known substitutions. Among others, Laurin Ulrich, Samuele Di Benedetto and Raul Paula arrived about half an hour before the end of the game – all of them have already trained regularly with the professionals under coach Sebastian Hoeneß.
More enthusiasm in the game, especially offensively, resulted in several opportunities to take the lead. About 20 minutes before the end, the Ansbach keeper defused a header from Dejan Galjen from close range after a cross from Babis Drakas. The SpVgg were increasingly forced into tactical fouls just outside their own penalty area, which resulted in yellow cards. However, VfB became too rare and compelling enough. Shortly before the final whistle, Laurin Ulrich had good opportunities with a shot in the penalty area and Dominik Nothnagel with a header after a corner.
So in the end it was a goalless draw in a varied test match. Both teams will start playing again in two weeks – VfB’s U21s with a home game on March 3rd (2 p.m.) against third-from-bottom TSG Balingen.