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Nartey’s breakthrough goal gives Stuttgart a 3-2 win over Frankfurt in thriller

Nartey's breakthrough goal gives Stuttgart a 3-2 win over Frankfurt in thriller | iNFOnews.ca
Stuttgart players celebrate with their fans after the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt in Stuttgart, Germany, Tuesday Jan. 13, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Six years into his Stuttgart career, Nikolas Nartey finally scored his first goal for the club to seal a thrilling 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Tuesday.

The Danish midfielder found space between two defenders to direct Josha Vagnoman’s low cross into the net and turned away, shouting in celebration.

Nartey had been with Stuttgart since 2019 but barely played for much of that time. He spent two years on loan before a series of injuries wreaked havoc on his career. He didn’t play at all in 2023-24 and had little game time the following year but has become a regular starter this season.

Until Nartey’s breakthrough, it had seemed like a first-time scorer of a different sort had salvaged a draw for Frankfurt.

Three minutes into his Bundesliga debut off the bench, new signing Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab made it 2-2 to finish off a rapid team move that began with goalkeeper Kaua Santos and went the length of the field. The 21-year-old forward had never before played above the third tier of German soccer.

Frankfurt took the early lead when Rasmus Kristensen scored in the fifth minute, but goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav put Stuttgart ahead 2-1 by halftime. Both teams had plenty of chances as Santos and Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel made crucial saves.

Stuttgart moves up to third with the win. Frankfurt is seventh, with one win from its last eight games in all competitions.

Dortmund beats Bremen

A day after Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac signaled that challenging Bayern for the title is out of his team’s reach, Dortmund cut Bayern’s lead to eight points with a straightforward 3-0 win over Werder Bremen.

Defender Nico Schlotterbeck headed second-place Dortmund in front in the 11th before Marcel Sabitzer and Serhou Guirassy scored to make sure of the win.

“That we can’t attack Bayern, I think everyone can see that,” Kovac said Monday, adding his aim is a top-four finish.

Unbeaten Bayern, which beat Wolfsburg 8-1 last week, can restore an 11-point lead by beating Cologne on Wednesday.

Mainz’s long-awaited win

Mainz beat fellow relegation candidate Heidenheim 2-1 for its first Bundesliga win since September. New Mainz coach Urs Fischer is unbeaten in six Bundesliga and Conference League games since he was hired last month. Mainz moves up from last place in the 18-team league to 16th, dropping Heidenheim to last.

Bayer Leverkusen’s game at Hamburger SV was postponed at short notice over concerns around the stadium’s roof. It’s the third game in the Bundesliga to be called off in recent days following heavy snow in northern Germany.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Nartey's breakthrough goal gives Stuttgart a 3-2 win over Frankfurt in thriller | iNFOnews.ca
Stuttgart’s Nikolas Nartey, front, and Frankfurt Aurèle Amenda in action during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt in Stuttgart, Germany, Tuesday Jan. 13, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Nartey's breakthrough goal gives Stuttgart a 3-2 win over Frankfurt in thriller | iNFOnews.ca
Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, second right, celebrates with teammates after scoring the third goal against Werder Bremen during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen in Dortmund, Germany, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Nartey's breakthrough goal gives Stuttgart a 3-2 win over Frankfurt in thriller | iNFOnews.ca
Mainz’s Nadiem Amiri celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 andFC Heidenheim in Mainz, Germany, Tuesday Jan. 13, 2026. (Torsten Silz/dpa via AP)

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The Associated Press

James Ellingworth

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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