Stuttgart II secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Würzburger Kickers in the fourth round of the 3. Liga on Saturday evening. The visitors took the lead through a penalty before the hosts equalised, but a late winner from Alexander Groiss settled the contest at the Stadion an der Grünwalder Straße.
Stuttgart II struck first when Tarsis Bonga converted a penalty in the twenty-eighth minute after Jordan Majchrzak had been booked for the home side. Oliver Rölke pulled one back for Würzburg just five minutes later, and the match opened up considerably. Then came the turning point — Julian Lüers was sent off in the fifty-seventh minute, leaving Stuttgart II to defend with ten men.
Despite being down to ten players, Stuttgart II held firm and found a way through in the seventy-fifth minute when Alexander Groiss headed home. The visitors had already seen two yellow cards before the dismissal, and Bonga picked up another shortly after. Würzburg pushed for an equaliser but could not break down the resolute defence.
Statistics tell an uneven story. Würzburg controlled 55 per cent of possession and earned six corners, but could only manage two shots on target compared to Stuttgart's three. The visitors showed more clinical edge, converting their opportunities while the hosts struggled to create clear chances.
The result moves Stuttgart II up to ninth place on six points from four games, while Würzburg remain in fourteenth with just four points. The home side's recent form has been inconsistent — they had beaten VfB Dresden earlier in the campaign but followed that with defeats against Cologne and MSV Duisburg.
What matters here is not the possession figures but the moments that decided the game. A penalty, a red card, and a well-taken goal — three episodes that shifted the balance. The rest was background noise.