VfB Stuttgart 3–1 Viking | Champions League | 9 September 2026

Result Summary

VfB Stuttgart delivered a composed and dominant home performance to defeat Viking 3–1 in their Champions League fixture at Stuttgart, with Ermedin Demirović stealing the headlines by completing a remarkable hat-trick inside the first 32 minutes. The result was ultimately comfortable for Sebastian Hoeneß's side, despite a brief Viking response that momentarily threatened to destabilise an explosive opening period.

Match Analysis

The match burst into life in an extraordinary twelve-minute spell that would effectively decide the contest. Stuttgart took the lead in the 20th minute when Demirović converted with a right-foot finish, assisted by Angelo Stiller. Viking responded swiftly, levelling just two minutes later through Zlatko Tripić, who finished clinically with his left foot from a Henrik Bjørdal assist — a sharp reminder that Morten Jensen's side were not without attacking intent.

However, Stuttgart reasserted control almost immediately. Deniz Undav proved the creative catalyst, providing assists for Demirović's 26th-minute and 32nd-minute goals, both converted with right-foot finishes to complete the hat-trick. By the time the half-hour mark arrived, Stuttgart led 3–1 and the tie was effectively over as a contest.

The statistics underline Stuttgart's overall superiority. 62% possession and an 86% successful pass rate compared to Viking's 71% illustrated the hosts' technical authority. Stuttgart generated 17 total shots to Viking's 9, and while both sides registered 3 shots on target, Stuttgart's 51 dangerous attacks versus Viking's 43 reflected their greater cutting edge in the final third.

Viking's frustrations boiled over in the second half, with Kristoffer Askildsen (42'), Peter Christiansen (54'), and Joe Bell (58') all collecting yellow cards for fouls — a disciplinary record that prompted Viking's coaching staff to act decisively, withdrawing Bell and Jesper Daland simultaneously in the 62nd minute. Stuttgart also used the hour-mark to manage their squad, bringing off the match-winning Demirović and Jamie Leweling to protect fitness ahead of further fixtures. Viking's corner count of 5 to Stuttgart's 3 suggests they did probe for a route back into the game in later stages, but Fabian Bredlow and Stuttgart's defensive structure ultimately held firm.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for a 2–0 Stuttgart victory, assigning the home side a 74% probability of winning. The direction of the prediction proved correct — Stuttgart were the dominant force throughout — though the final scoreline of 3–1 exceeded the margin we anticipated. Demirović's individual brilliance and Undav's creative output in a frenzied opening half-hour took the game beyond our modelled expectation. A confidence rating of 59/100 was appropriate given the gulf in European pedigree between the two sides, and the result validated the core assessment.

Key Takeaways

• Demirović's hat-trick — all three goals scored between the 20th and 32nd minutes — was the defining feature of the match and showcased his instinctive finishing at the highest level.
• Deniz Undav was equally influential in the creative sense, registering two assists and keeping Stuttgart's attacking momentum relentless.
• Viking's three yellow cards in sixteen second-half minutes reflected a side under tactical and psychological pressure, unable to find a way back into the contest.
• Stuttgart's 86% passing accuracy and high volume of dangerous attacks point to a side with the quality to compete meaningfully in this season's Champions League campaign.