Stuttgart made a winning start to their UEFA Europa League (UEL) campaign with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo, claiming only a third victory in 16 meetings against Spanish opposition in European competition in the process.
The hosts were embarking on a second successive appearance in UEFA tournaments for the first time since 2010/11, and they began with confidence here.
Lorenz Assignon did brilliantly to float a cross towards Chema Andrés, whose shot was saved by Ionuț Radu before Jamie Leweling blazed over on the follow-up.
Sebastian Hoeness was then forced into an early change with Finn Jeltsch forced off injured, and saw his side struggle to kick on from that early clear-cut opportunity.
His side were barely threatened down the other end of the pitch, though, as a Celta side marking their first UEL appearance in nine years struggled to rise to the occasion, and their only first-half opening of note came when Ferran Jutglà fired wide after latching onto Ilaix Moriba's excellent through ball.
The hosts gradually increased their intensity towards the end of the half, as Radu made a fine two-handed stop to deny the lively Assignon.
Hoeness’ men broke the deadlock six minutes into the second half with a goal that was the epitome of route one football. Alexander Nübel launched a long ball forward, which Badredine Bouanani took into his stride and lobbed Radu for his first Die Roten goal, and it was one that the hosts deserved on the balance of play.
Bilal El Khannouss doubled Stuttgart’s lead with the first European goal of his career, as the Leicester loanee caught the Celta defence sleeping from a short corner and unleashed a clinical strike beyond Radu.
Claudio Giráldez’s men were performing well below par and had yet to register a shot on target when Javi Rueda flashed his attempt wide.
The Galicians made things interesting in the closing stages, though, halving the deficit after Moriba outmuscled Atakan Karazor and fed in Borja Iglesias to provide a tidy finish past Nubel.
Ultimately, the Bundesliga side held on to secure a narrow win for a third consecutive home victory across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Los Celestes are still waiting for a first win of the new campaign, having now failed to win five of their six H2Hs against German opposition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lorenz Assignon (Stuttgart)