Hoeneß admits Stuttgart "lacked the decisive cutting edge" in Leipzig

Here's what VfB Stuttgart's coach and goalkeeper had to say after their Matchday 9 loss in Saxony.

Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images.

VfB Stuttgart suffered their third Bundesliga defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss to RB Leipzig this afternoon. Sebastian Hoeneß shared his thoughts on the disappointing result but was keen to draw on some positives.

“It was a top-class game played at a fast pace. Alexander Nübel kept us in it in the first few minutes. We pretty much played a perfect game from the fifth minute to the 30th but weren’t able to reward ourselves with a goal.

"The game was far more open after that; Leipzig made very good use of their transitions, and it wasn’t undeserved when they took the lead. Their second goal so early in the second half made it tough for us.

“But my team kept going, they believed in themselves and pulled a goal back . However, we just lacked the decisive cutting edge today. We matched Leipzig for long stretches and can take some positives from this match,” he said. 

Although guilty for a mistake in Leipzig's third goal scored by Rômulo, Alexander Nübel made a string of key saves to keep his side in it. However, he felt his side were just a fraction off colour on the day. 

“The first half was really good, with a lot of chances at both ends and a good tempo. Little details were decisive today and it’s frustrating that a situation like the one at the end proved decisive.

“Despite the defeat, we feel like we’re on the right track and that we’re still in good form. We’ll go into our coming games with a lot of ambition,” explained Nübel.