Stuttgart 0-1 Celtic Player Ratings: Viljami Sinisalo 9/10 MOTM as McCowan's Early Strike Seals Shock Victory 1-0

What a smash and grab. That is the only way to describe what we just witnessed at the MHPArena in this Europa League tie. VfB Stuttgart will be absolutely kicking themselves after this match. They had all the possession, they created chance after chance, but they ran into a green and white wall. Celtic came with a clear plan and executed it to perfection.

The game was flipped on its head inside the first minute. Luke McCowan found the back of the net, giving Celtic a lead they would never relinquish. From that moment on, it was a backs-to-the-wall performance of heroic proportions. We watched Stuttgart throw everything they had at the visitors, but it was just not their night.

The story of the game was Celtic's incredible defensive resilience. Goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was a giant between the posts, making crucial saves. The whole defensive unit deserves immense credit. The disallowed goal for Deniz Undav after a VAR review was a massive moment, a huge slice of luck for Celtic that ultimately defined the result. Here are Sportsdunia's Stuttgart vs Celtic player ratings.

Celtic Player Ratings vs VfB Stuttgart

Here are Celtic player ratings against VfB Stuttgart.

Goalkeeper

Viljami Sinisalo - 9.0: The undisputed man of the match. What a performance. He made six saves, several of which were top-drawer stops from inside the box. His command of the area, including a crucial high claim, gave his defenders so much confidence.

Defenders

Auston Trusty - 7.5: A very solid and commanding display. He was a rock, making a staggering eight clearances and blocking four shots. He was strong in the air and composed on the ball with 95% pass accuracy. Barely put a foot wrong all night.

Marcelo Saracchi - 8.0: Immense performance. He was crucial in preserving the clean sheet, highlighted by a goal-line clearance that saved a certain goal. He made four other clearances and was a calm head under immense pressure.

Dane Murray - 8.0: Just like his defensive partners, he was magnificent. He won 100% of his tackles and made seven clearances, including one off the line. He read the danger perfectly, time and again, snuffing out Stuttgart attacks.

Colby Donovan - 6.0: Looked a little nervous during his 55 minutes on the pitch. Picked up a yellow card for a clumsy foul. He struggled to cope with the home side's attacking flow and lost possession ten times.

Midfielders

Hyun-jun Yang - 6.5: A hard-working shift but ultimately lacked a cutting edge. He was diligent in his defensive duties, making a couple of important tackles. However, he struggled to provide an attacking outlet and lost the ball ten times.

Luke McCowan - 8.0: The match-winner. His goal in the first minute was a moment of pure quality and composure. Beyond the goal, he was a bundle of energy, winning a high percentage of his duels and completing two dribbles. His contribution was decisive, and that's what matters most.

Daizen Maeda - 5.5: A really difficult night for him. We felt he was a passenger for large parts of the game. His pass accuracy was a shockingly low 40%, and he seemed to struggle with the pace of the game. While he worked hard off the ball, his contribution on it was poor.

Reo Hatate - 6.5: Kept the ball moving with tidy and efficient passing. He was a steady presence in a chaotic midfield battle. However, he didn't offer much penetration into the final third.

Callum McGregor - 6.5: The captain led by example with his work rate. He was tidy in possession and tried to get his team up the pitch. However, he was often overrun by Stuttgart's midfield press. A typically battling performance, but he couldn't stamp his authority on the game.

Forwards

Junior Adamu - 7.5: His contribution was vital. He provided the brilliant assist for McCowan's goal, creating the game's only big chance. He was a handful for the Stuttgart defence during his 55 minutes, drawing fouls and holding the ball up well.

Substitutes

Anthony Ralston - 6.5: Came on and did a steady job at the back.
Tomás Cvancara - 6.0: Didn't see much of the ball to make an impact.
Benjamin Nygren - N/A
Sebastian Tounekti - N/A
Kelechi Iheanacho - N/A

Manager

M. O'Neill - 8.5: A tactical masterclass in away-day European football. He set his team up to be compact, disciplined, and resilient. They absorbed immense pressure and executed the game plan perfectly after the early goal. His substitutions were sensible and helped see out a famous victory.

VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings vs Celtic

Check out the VfB Stuttgart player ratings vs Celtic.

Goalkeeper

Alexander Nübel - 6.0: Couldn't do much about the goal, which was a well-placed finish. He only had one save to make all game, which tells the story of Celtic's attacking threat. Was mostly a spectator as his team dominated possession.

Defenders

Josha Vagnoman - 7.0: A solid outing. He was defensively sound and tried to get forward, creating a big chance for his team. His passing was crisp, and he contributed well to the build-up play. It's hard to fault his individual performance.

Maximilian Mittelstädt - 7.5: Was a constant menace down the left flank. He had a massive 106 touches and whipped in 11 crosses, always looking to create. He won a remarkable number of his duels and was one of Stuttgart's best players.

Luca Jaquez - 7.0: Extremely tidy in possession with 95% pass accuracy. He was dominant in his duels, winning 7 out of 9 before his substitution. A very strong defensive display; the team looked a little less secure after he departed.

Finn Jeltsch - 6.5: He saw a lot of the ball and tried to play progressive passes, but he was also a bit loose in possession at times. He was caught out for a couple of turnovers and struggled with the physicality of Celtic's forwards.

Midfielders

Atakan Karazor - 7.0: The captain was busy in midfield, recovering the ball eight times and creating a couple of chances. He tried to dictate the tempo but couldn't unlock a stubborn Celtic defence. A decent performance but ultimately fruitless.

Jamie Leweling - 6.0: Struggled to make any real impact in the first half and was substituted at the break. He lost possession too often and couldn't find a way to influence the game in the final third.

Badredine Bouanani - 6.0: A frustrating night for the attacker. He got into good positions and had four shots, but his finishing let him down, missing two big chances. He needed to be more clinical. It felt like if one of his chances went in, the whole game would have changed.

Chema Andrés - 7.5: Was Stuttgart's most creative spark before he was surprisingly substituted. He created a remarkable four chances for his teammates in just 64 minutes. We were genuinely surprised to see him taken off, as he looked the most likely to create an equalizer.

Forwards

Tiago Tomás - 6.0: He was active but ineffective. He had four shots but failed to hit the target with any of them. He was caught offside and struggled to link up play effectively.

Deniz Undav - 7.5: The unluckiest player on the pitch. He was a constant threat, registering four shots and creating three chances. He scored what he thought was the equalizer, only for VAR to cruelly rule it out. He did everything but score a legitimate goal.

Substitutes

Chris Führich - 7.0: Added some energy and directness after coming on at half-time.
Ermedin Demirovic - 6.5: Had a couple of shots blocked but couldn't find a way through.
Angelo Stiller - 6.5: Kept the ball well and tried to create from deep.
Ramon Hendriks - 6.5: Forced a save with a decent effort.
Bilal El Khannouss - N/A

Manager

S. Hoeneß - 6.0: His team dominated the game from start to finish but couldn't find the clinical touch. You have to question his decision to substitute his most creative player, Chema Andrés. While his side played attractive football, they were ultimately outsmarted by a more pragmatic opponent.

Man of the Match

Viljami Sinisalo was the man of the match.