BERLIN, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- VfB Stuttgart responded to its heavy opening-day defeat by Bayern Munich with a 4-1 home victory over Cologne on Friday.
Josha Vagnoman and Dzenan Pejcinovic both came close early, Vagnoman rattling the bar and Pejcinovic heading against the woodwork, while Deniz Undav and Grischa Proemel were denied by Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwaebe as Stuttgart pressed.
Bilal El Khannouss broke the deadlock, driving through Cologne's defense and slipping the ball through Luka Lochoshvili's legs to finish low into the corner.
Cologne, without the ill Said El Mala and Thijs Dallinga, improved after the interval and almost leveled when Fabian Bredlow blocked Ellyes Skhiri's close-range header before twice denying new signing Mikey Moore. Tom Krauss also fired into the side netting.
Stuttgart punished those misses when Proemel finished a flowing move in the 60th minute to make it 2-0. Substitute Ermedin Demirovic added a third in the 76th minute with a near-post finish.
Although Ramon Hendriks' own goal gave Cologne brief hope nine minutes from time, Vagnoman sealed the win in stoppage time with a spectacular volley from 22 meters.
The victory was Stuttgart's first of the Bundesliga season after its 5-1 loss at Bayern. Stuttgart will next face Viking in the Champions League before returning to league action against Hoffenheim, while Cologne hosts Werder Bremen.
"I think conceding four goals was too much. We had a good spell in the second half but then conceded straight away. We made simple mistakes and played into their hands," said Cologne goalkeeper Schwaebe. ■
