Leweling brace as Stuttgart win 4-0 at Go Ahead Eagles in EL

Jamie Leweling scored a brace as VfB Stuttgart won 4-0 at Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday to raise their chances of reaching the Europe League last 16 without a play-off detour.

Leweling netted the opening goal after a one-two with fellow German international Deniz Undaz 20 minutes into the game in Deventer, and fired into the bottom right corner from 17 metres on the counter in the 35th after a long ball from Angelo Stiller.

Go Ahead stepped up their efforts after the break in the duel of the German and Dutch Cup winners but it was all over when Undav chested the ball on to Bilal El Khannouss to make it 3-0 in the 59th. Substitute Badredine Bouanani wrapped up matters in stoppage time.

"It was a good team effort," Undav told broadcasters RTL. "We are playing good football at the moment but must keep going and not rest on our laurels."

Stuttgart improved to nine points with a second straight win over Dutch opposition, the first a 2-0 over Feyenoord, and are just one shy of the top eight granting direct entry into the last 16. Go Ahead, who beat Aston Villa earlier in the campaign, remain on six points.

The match was preceded by altercations between local police and Stuttgart fans who were ordered to leave the city.

Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle said in a club statement he was present at the fan meeting point and criticised "disproportionate action" by local authorities which "endangers fan culture."

Go Ahead Eagles director Jan Willem van Dop said police took action because Stuttgart fans arriving by bus included people without tickets who were not supposed to get near the stadium and barred from the city by an order from the mayor.