VfB Stuttgart vs 1. FC Köln
Stuttgart steamroll Köln with commanding 4-1 win
El Khannouss and Demirović lead the charge as Stuttgart dominate at home
VfB Stuttgart delivered a dominant performance against 1. FC Köln, cruising to a 4-1 victory in the Bundesliga. B. El Khannouss opened the scoring just before half-time, setting the tone for the hosts, while G. Prömel and E. Demirović extended the lead after the break. Köln's R. Hendriks inadvertently added to Stuttgart's tally with an own goal, and J. Vagnoman capped off the win in the 90th minute. Fipster's high-confidence prediction for a home win was spot on, though the actual scoreline was even more emphatic than forecast.
Outcome probability
The new Bundesliga season kicks off with VfB Stuttgart facing 1. FC Köln in what promises to be an intriguing clash. Both teams are looking to set the tone early, with Stuttgart aiming to leverage their summer reinforcements and Köln adjusting after key departures.
Key facts
- 1.VfB Stuttgart have signed L. Sauer ahead of the new season.
- 2.1. FC Köln have lost J. Kamiński to a transfer.
- 3.Stuttgart finished last season with a significantly better goal difference than Köln.
- 4.Stuttgart averaged 1.82 points per game last season, compared to Köln's 0.94.
- 5.The predicted halftime score is 2-0 in favour of Stuttgart.
- 6.The final predicted score is 3-1 to Stuttgart.
- 7.Four total cards are expected in the match, indicating moderate discipline.
The context
Stuttgart enter this fixture bolstered by the arrival of L. Sauer, adding fresh energy to their squad. Meanwhile, Köln have been shorn of J. Kamiński, a departure that could impact their attacking options. This opening match will be a test of how well each side has adapted over the summer break.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — VfB Stuttgart
Away — 1. FC Köln
Analysis
The prediction strongly favours a home win for Stuttgart, with a likely halftime lead of 2-0 and a final score of 3-1. Stuttgart's superior goal difference and points-per-game from last season suggest they have the edge. The data points to a match where Stuttgart assert early control, with Köln managing a consolation goal later on. Discipline is expected to be moderate, with around four cards predicted.
Prediction
Expect Stuttgart to take the initiative early, building a solid two-goal cushion by halftime. Köln will push back in the second half but ultimately fall short, resulting in a 3-1 victory for Stuttgart. This outcome aligns with the strongest probability among predicted scorelines and reflects the teams' relative strengths.
The verdict
As the Bundesliga season gets underway, Stuttgart look set to make a confident statement with a home win over Köln. The summer business and squad quality give them the tools to secure all three points and start the campaign on a high note.
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
El Khannouss
Assist: Vagnoman
Simpson-Pusey
Yellow Card
Thielmann
Paul Michael Junior Okon-Engstler
Mittelstädt
Yellow Card
Prömel
Assist: Mittelstädt
Führich
Undav
Maina
Demirović
Assist: Jeltsch
Ache
El Khannouss
Mittelstädt
Hendriks (OG)
Krauß
Yellow Card
Castro-Montes
Yellow Card
Stiller
Krauß
Vagnoman
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  SC Freiburg | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
| 8 |  RB Leipzig | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 9 |  VfB Stuttgart | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
| 10 |  Werder Bremen | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
| 11 |  1. FC Köln | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
| 12 |  Eintracht Frankfurt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Match Statistics
VfB Stuttgart
4-4-2Starting XI
- 1F. BredlowG
- 4J. VagnomanD
- 6A. StillerM
- 7M. MittelstädtD
- 10C. FührichM
- 11B. El KhannoussM
- 17D. PejčinovićF
- 21G. PrömelM
- 24J. ChabotD
- 26D. UndavF
- 29Finn JeltschD
Substitutes
- 2A. Al DakhilD
- 3R. HendriksD
- 9E. DemirovićF
- 16A. KarazorM
- 18J. LewelingF
- 20L. StergiouD
- 33M. FunkG
- 44L. SauerF
- 47Y. SpaltM
1. FC Köln
4-3-3Starting XI
- 1M. SchwäbeG
- 5T. KraußM
- 8Í. Bergmann JóhannessonM
- 9R. AcheF
- 14G. MensahD
- 17A. Castro-MontesD
- 22Jahmai Simpson-PuseyD
- 23Paul Michael Junior Okon-EngstlerM
- 24L. LochoshviliD
- 29J. ThielmannF
- 37L. MainaF
Substitutes
- 2J. SchmiedD
- 3B. SosaD
- 6E. SkhiriM
- 11Reigan HeskeyF
- 15I. RondićF
- 20R. ZielerG
- 30M. BülterF
- 33R. van den BergD
- 47M. MooreF
VfB Stuttgart
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Vagnoman | D | 90 | 8.6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1/2 |
| B. El Khannouss | M | 78 | 8.2 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/1 |
| G. Prömel | M | 90 | 8.2 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| E. Demirović | F | 20 | 7.9 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/1 |
| M. Mittelstädt | D | 78 | 7.8 | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0/1 |
| Finn Jeltsch | D | 90 | 7.6 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — |
| J. Chabot | D | 90 | 7.5 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| F. Bredlow | G | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Stiller | M | 92 | 6.8 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 0/1 |
| L. Sauer | F | 12 | 6.6 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1/1 |
| C. Führich | M | 70 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0/1 |
| J. Leweling | F | 20 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 0/1 |
| D. Undav | F | 70 | 6.4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — |
| D. Pejčinović | F | 90 | 6.4 | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — |
| R. Hendriks | D | 12 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| L. Stergiou | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Y. Spalt | M | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Al Dakhil | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| M. Funk | G | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Karazor | M | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1. FC Köln
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Moore | F | 44 | 7.2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1/2 |
| T. Krauß | M | 90 | 6.7 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 0/1 |
| J. Thielmann | F | 46 | 6.6 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1/1 |
| L. Maina | F | 75 | 6.5 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1/1 |
| Paul Michael Junior Okon-Engstler | M | 46 | 6.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reigan Heskey | F | 15 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 0/1 |
| M. Bülter | F | 15 | 6.3 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — |
| G. Mensah | D | 90 | 6.2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1/2 |
| E. Skhiri | M | 44 | 6.1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| R. Ache | F | 75 | 6.1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| M. Schwäbe | G | 90 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Í. Bergmann Jóhannesson | M | 90 | 5.9 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| L. Lochoshvili | D | 90 | 5.9 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 0/1 |
| A. Castro-Montes | D | 90 | 5.8 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3/5 |
| Jahmai Simpson-Pusey | D | 90 | 5.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/2 |
| R. Zieler | G | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| B. Sosa | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| J. Schmied | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| I. Rondić | F | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| R. van den Berg | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |