Ansah's Clinical Finishing Ends Stuttgart's Possession Masterclass
Merece la Pena Puntuación Futmetrix: 64/100. At Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Union Berlin delivered a masterclass in efficiency over elegance, dismantling Stuttgart's possession dominance with two clinical strikes that exposed the gulf between controlling the ball and controlling the match.
Ansah's 45-Minute Demolition
Ilyas Ansah announced himself as Union's cutting edge with ruthless precision. His opener in the 18th minute was a statement of intent—Union Berlin weren't here to admire Stuttgart's passing patterns. His second, assisted by A. Ilic on the stroke of half-time, had already decided the contest. With a 9.2 rating and a brace, Ansah embodied Union's counter-attacking philosophy: devastating in transition, lethal in execution. The intensity was relentless from the opening whistle—29 combined shots told the story of a match where both sides came to play, but only one converted their moments.
Stuttgart's Possession Paradise Becomes a Nightmare
Stuttgart dominated the statistics sheet: 75% possession, 21 shots, an 89% pass accuracy. Yet Frederik Rönnow stood immovable between the sticks, recording five saves with an 8.5 rating that reflected his crucial interventions. Jeff Chabot delivered a defensive masterclass (7.9 rating), but even his steadiness couldn't convert Stuttgart's territorial advantage into goals. The balance was grotesquely skewed: Stuttgart's xG of 1.73 versus Union's 0.34 screamed injustice, yet football doesn't reward possession—it rewards conversion.
Too Little, Too Late
Substitute Tiago Tomas, introduced in the 65th minute, provided the late spark Stuttgart desperately needed. His 86th-minute goal, courtesy of C. Fuhrich's assist, halved the deficit but arrived when Union's grip on the match was already unshakeable. With 16 corners and a relentless siege, Stuttgart had engineered enough pressure to bury most opponents—but Union's intensity in defence proved unbreakable. The lead changed hands just once, but the narrative never wavered: efficiency beats possession every time.
Key Questions
What made Ilyas Ansah the match-winner?
Ansah's brace in 45 minutes was clinical finishing under pressure. His two goals proved Union's counter-attacking threat was more dangerous than Stuttgart's possession dominance.
Should Stuttgart have won this match?
On the numbers, yes. Stuttgart's 1.73 xG, 75% possession, and 21 shots demanded a victory—but Rönnow's five saves and Union's ruthless transitions told a different story.
¿Por qué este partido tiene 64/100?
Nuestro algoritmo Futmetrix analizó intensidad, equilibrio e importancia. La puntuación de 64/100 sitúa este partido en la categoría "Merece la Pena".
