Soccer Football - Champions League - VfB Stuttgart v Sparta Prague - MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany - October 1, 2024 Sparta Prague's Veljko Birmancevic heads at goal REUTERS/Leonhard Simon
STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - VfB Stuttgart were held to a 1-1 home draw by Czech champions Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday after Sparta midfielder Kaan Kairinen cancelled out an early opener by Enzo Millot.
Last season's Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart took a seventh-minute lead against the run of play through Millot, who connected with an excellent lofted cross from Maximilian Mittelstadt and scored with a header.
But Sparta continued to press high up the pitch and Martin Vitik hit the post shortly after, before Kairinen levelled for the visitors after the half-hour mark by expertly firing a free kick into the top-right corner.
Midfielder Veljko Birmancevic had chances to put Sparta in front either side of the break, while Stuttgart had the upper hand throughout most of the second half but could not seal the three points.
Stuttgart, who returned to Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 2009-10, were much improved after losing 3-1 at Real Madrid last time out and they next visit Juventus on Oct. 22.
Sparta, whose 3-0 win against Salzburg in their opening game was the first time a Czech club has scored three goals on the competition's opening matchday, will be up against Manchester City next.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
