El Khannouss solid for Stuttgart’s victorious debut

Bilal El Khannouss contributed to VfB Stuttgart’s success against Viking Stavanger (3-1) this Wednesday during the first matchday of the Champions League group stage. Starting under Sebastian Hoeneß, the Moroccan international played in an attacking role behind Ermedin Demirović.

The match turned in just twelve minutes thanks to the Bosnian striker. Demirović opened the scoring in the 20th minute, before Zlatko Tripić equalized two minutes later for the Norwegians. The Stuttgart scorer then struck twice more, in the 26th and 32nd minutes, to complete a hat-trick and secure the victory for his team.

Although not directly involved in the three goals, El Khannouss delivered a solid performance during the 71 minutes he spent on the pitch. Active between the lines, the Atlas Lion notably recorded 96% passing accuracy in the opponent’s half and provided a key pass. He also made his presence felt with a blocked shot in the first half.

This new starting position confirms the trust placed in him by Sebastian Hoeneß. Having already scored a few days earlier in the victory against Cologne (4-1) in the Bundesliga, El Khannouss continues his strong start to the season and contributes to Stuttgart’s successful beginning on the European stage.