21 May 2007, by Sean Gillen

Fernando Meira euphoric with Bundesliga title

VFB Stuttgart 2-1 Energie Cottbus

Portuguese defender Fernando Meira could not contain his delight as his Stuttgart side confirmed themselves as surprise winners of the German Bundesliga after coming from behind to beat Cottbus on Saturday.

After a modest start to the season, Stuttgart improved as the campaign went on, and recently embarked on a seven-match winning run, culminating in snatching leadership of the Bundesliga last week when they leapfrogged Schalke to move two points clear at the top.

As a result, the team carried a two-point lead going into the final day of the season and, after an early Sergei Radu strike for Cottbus gave the hosts a scare, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Sami Khedira secured Stuttgart’s first league title in fifteen years.

“I don’t think anyone could have reckoned with this,” said Meira after the game. “I’m so proud of the team and our fans. It’s simply unbelievable.”

A frantic opening twenty minutes at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion saw chances for either side, but the visitors stunned the 56,000 strong crowd by taking the lead after twenty minutes when Radu cleverly turned Vlad Munteanu’s miss-hit shot past Hildebrand.

Sensational volley

Stuttgart responded well, going close twice through Roberto Hilbert and Cacau, before drawing level on the 25-minute mark. Mexican midfielder Pavel Pardo swung a corner to the edge of the box, and Hitzlsperger connected with a sensational volley to send the ball into the top corner.

Cacau missed another good headed chance in the first half, but Stuttgart carried the pressure into the second period. Khedira and Cacau combined well to set up Marco Streller, but the forward put the ball over the bar from close range.

With Schalke winning their match and threatening to take the league to goal difference, Stuttgart were determined to find a winning goal, and top goalscorer Mario Gomez was introduced for the off-form Streller.

Hitzlsperger blazed over on his right foot when well-placed inside the area, before the crucial goal arrived in the 63rd minute. Substitute Antonio da Silva crossed from the left for the youngest player in the Stuttgart side Sami Khedira, to head home and send the crowd into raptures.

Having fought back and successfully got themselves in front, Stuttgart managed to see out the remainder of the game comfortably, with the positive running of Gomez and Cacau providing a good goal threat as the team looked to see the clock down.

The final whistle arrived and Fernando Meira, draped in a Portugal flag, lifted the Bundesliga shield to celebrate Stuttgart’s fifth German title. The season is not over for Die Weiß-Roten, who can secure a famous double when they meet Nurnberg in next weekend’s German Cup final.

Stuttgart:
Hildebrand, Osorio (da Silva, 46), Magnin, Meira, Delpierre, Pardo, Hitzlsperger (Tasci, 86), Khedira, Cacau, Hilbert, Streller (Gomez, 52)
Yellow Cards: None

Cottbus:
Piplica, Kukielka, Cvitanovic, Mitreski, Szelesi, Ziebig, Jiayi (Kioyo, 72), Skela (Gunkel, 65), Munteanu, Radu, Kuntzel (Rivic, 65)
Yellow Cards: None

Goals:
[0-1] Radu, 20
[1-1] Hitzlsperger, 25
[2-1] Khedira, 63