Stuttgart secured a substantial win in the first leg of the Europa League playoff tie away to Celtic, bolstering their prospects ahead of the return match.
Bilal El Khannouss scored his first goals since returning from AFCON, helping Stuttgart take the lead in the 15th minute. The goal came despite Kasper Schmeichel’s near-miss in dealing with the initial effort.
An early miscue by Alexander Nübel contributed to an equalizer for Celtic, as Benjamin Nygren finished from a rebound following a deflected pass. Both sides found success in the first half, with the visitors adding a second via Angelo Stiller’s cross causing an own- or deflected finish for El Khannouss, marking his fifth goal in the competition.
El Khannouss was praised for his impact in a rare start, helping Stuttgart extend their lead in the second half as Celtic’s supporters began to depart. Schmeichel made a notable save on Tiago Tomás, while a VAR offside negated a goal for Ermedin Demirovic.
Scoring opportunities remained limited for Celtic, with Nübel not heavily tested aside from Nygren’s long-range effort. Tomás later extended Stuttgart’s cushion with a finishing strike in stoppage time, effectively sealing progression to the Round of 16.
The return leg is scheduled for next week at MHP Arena. Stuttgart will play another league match on the road before the second leg, facing bottom-placed Heidenheim in the Bundesliga.
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