Young Boys fight back to follow Stuttgart through

BSC Young Boys followed VfB Stuttgart into the UEFA Europa League knockout rounds after conjuring three goals in seven minutes at the end of a gripping Group H match in wintry Berne.

With Stuttgart having recovered from David Degen's first-half opener to lead with strikes from Pavel Pogrebnyak and Sven Schipplock, Vladimir Petković's side seemed set for a date with destiny – and Getafe CF – on Matchday 6. Instead, thanks to Scott Sutter's 81st-minute equaliser and two further efforts from Emmanuel Mayuka, the Swiss club ended the visitors' 100% record to join them in the round of 32.

With Mayuka supported by David Degen, Moreno Costanzo and Senad Lulić, Young Boys started well in conditions made difficult by 24 hours of snow. Lulić rattled the crossbar and only a desperate lunge by Stuttgart goalkeeper Marc Ziegler prevented Lulić profiting from a defensive mix-up. Philipp Degen then had to clear his lines after twin brother David fired a cross over Ziegler. The Degens were becoming the first twins to meet in European club competition.

At this point Stuttgart – the already qualified group leaders – were displaying the domestic form that has them second-from-bottom in the Bundesliga. It was no surprise, therefore, when David Degen broke the deadlock from Lulić's pass, the 27-year-old looking up and lofting a shot over Ziegler.

If Élson, Martin Harnik and Pogrebnyak hinted at a Stuttgart threat, this materialised fully after half-time when Alain Nef inadvertently flicked Philipp Degen's cross away from his goalkeeper, Marco Wölfli, for the lurking Pogrebnyak to tap in. After Wölfli's fingertips then robbed Harnik of a fine goal, that honour went to VfB substitute Schipplock who latched on to Mauro Camoranesi's chip to slot past Wölfli.

Yet while the VfB revival was impressive, Young Boys went and surpassed it. Right-back Sutter drove in the equaliser via a slight deflection off Georg Niedermeier. Mayuka made it 3-2 a minute later from Sutter's powerful cross, before the striker raced on to Christian Schneuwly's flick to finish the contest in style.