We want more! VfB Stuttgart and Schalke 04 kick off the season with a bang and battle to a draw after 90 minutes of quick paced action.
Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart didn't begin the 45th Bundesliga season the way they'd hoped to.
Just three months after winning the championship, VfB had to settle for a 2-2 (0-1) result against last year's runners-up Schalke 04 in the much anticipated match to start the season.
Tide turned quickly
After Levan Kobiaschvili (25th min.) had taken the lead off a blocked shot, Sami Khedira (63rd min.) and Pavel Pardo (67th min/penalty kick) hit twice inside of five minutes to turn the tide. New addition Ivan Rakitic scored the equaliser in the 76th minute.
The Royal Blues were looking like they were on their way to victory after holding on to a lead after Kobiaschvili scored off a ball deflected by Roberto Hilbert. But Stuttgart turned it around.
Rakitic seals it
The momentum changed quickly in the second half. With the lead, Schalke were confident and needed to capitalise. Christian Pander just missed a goal (54th min.) with a free kick. Three minutes later Stuttgart keeper Raphael Schäfer made a save against Fabian Ernst.
Croatian addition Ivan Rakitic spent the first part of the match on the bench before substituting in in the second half and underscoring his level of play with a goal to seal the match at 2-2.
VfB Stuttgart vs. Schalke 04: the best pictures