VfB Stuttgart beat Viking 3-1 in the Champions League, Ermedin Demirović scoring a first-half hat-trick at MHPArena. Viking leveled almost immediately after the opener, then could not recover once the striker had finished the job before half-time.

Match Summary

The first half turned on a 12-minute cluster of goals. Ermedin Demirović had Stuttgart in front after 20 minutes, Angelo Stiller the provider, and Viking were level almost at once. Zlatko Tripić finished from Henrik Bjørdal's assist, and the visitors had their foothold.

Stuttgart's response came in a hurry. Deniz Undav set up Demirović for a second home goal, then found him again so the striker could complete a hat-trick at 32 minutes. That sequence left Viking 3-1 down with the scoring finished for the evening. Kristoffer Askildsen saw yellow before the break as the first half closed on Stuttgart's terms.

The second period was quieter. Viking pushed without repeating their earlier punch, and yellow cards for Peter Christiansen and Joe Bell arrived as they tried to force a way back. Stuttgart kept the ball in safer areas and protected the lead through to the end without needing another goal.

Key Moments

Viking's reply so soon after going behind was the moment that could have knocked Stuttgart out of rhythm, and for a brief spell it did. Completing the hat-trick before the half-hour mattered because it turned a level game into a two-goal cushion the visitors never closed. The second half then became a test of control rather than another shootout. Three Viking yellows and no path back to the net showed how that early burst had already settled the result.

Match Statistics

Stuttgart held 61 percent of possession to Viking's 39 and produced 15 shots to 9, a gap that matched the control they showed once the early exchange had passed. Both teams managed three shots on target, so the difference sat in the finishing rather than the count on frame. Viking took five corners to Stuttgart's three and still trailed. Bookings finished 0-3 in yellow cards, all of them Viking's, with no red cards shown.

What the Result Means

VfB Stuttgart are 29th in the UEFA Champions League with 0 points from 0 matches played and a goal difference of 0. Viking sit 30th on 0 points from 0 matches, also with a goal difference of 0. Viking have one win and one draw in their last two.

See also

• VfB Stuttgart vs Viking live score
• AltBets live scores
• AltBets tips
• Match recaps
• ItzJade tipster profile