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Stuttgart (dpa) - VfB Stuttgart has celebrated its 750th victory in the Bundesliga and thus maintained the connection to the European Cup places.

The Swabian promoted team won 1-0 (0-0) against SV Werder Bremen with a late own goal by Ludwig Augustinsson (81st minute) and, with seven games still to go, is just four points behind the European Cup.

"That feels good, we are only one point away from the season goal 40," said sports director Sven Mislintat.

"Then we'll see what happens in the end."

The Hanseatic League, however, could get into trouble again after their third defeat in a row in the relegation battle.

Their lead on the relegation place is still quite comfortable seven points, but with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund they have two high hurdles ahead of them in the league.

"That was the most unnecessary defeat this season so far," said Maximilian Eggestein.

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The lack of various offensive forces and enforcers made itself felt on both sides.

When everything was already pointing to a goalless draw, Werders Augustinsson maneuvered the ball into their own net in distress and from close range.

It was Bremen's third own goal this season - only Schalke (5), who have almost certainly been relegated, have more.

"To lose with such a goal is extremely bitter," said Eggestein.

Both teams were looking for the way forward, but made a lot of inaccuracies and created goal danger almost exclusively through long-range shots.

For VfB, who in addition to top scorer Silas Wamangituka (torn cruciate ligament) also had to do without Nicolas Gonzalez (torn muscle), U21 international Mateo Klimowicz (6th) and Philipp Förster (25th) gave the best opportunities before the break.

Bremen, where Niclas Füllkrug replaced the suspended Joshua Sargent in the storm, tested Stuttgart goalkeeper Gregor Kobel three times in a balanced first half.

But Romano Schmid (10th), Augustinsson with a nice direct acceptance (22nd) and Kevin Möhwald (31st) all failed because of the attentive Swiss.

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The first dangerous scene of the second round was a long-range shot: Stuttgart's Borna Sosa chased the ball after a corner from the edge of the penalty area just over the box (54th).

On the other hand, Füllkrug (55th) aimed significantly too high.

It was the briskest phase of the game until then, in which VfB talent Klimowicz also fired another low shot (58th) - and Bremen's birthday boy Eggestein (150th Bundesliga game) received his fifth yellow card.

Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who had scored in seven of the previous eight league games, hardly appeared this time and remained without any significant penalty area scene until shortly before the end.

Nine minutes before the end, however, the Austrian was there.

After a cross from Sosa from the left, he climbed up to the header, Bremen's Augustinsson wanted to clear - and hit his own goal.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210404-99-83742 / 4

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Squad VfB Stuttgart

Schedule VfB Stuttgart

Squad Werder Bremen

Schedule Werder Bremen