Stuttgart coach Huub Stevens praised the character and courage of his side after they defeated Werder Bremen to move off the bottom of the Bundesliga.
The Swabians moved up to 17th at Hamburg's expense thanks to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bremen, a result which dented their opponents' hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.
Stevens told his club's official website: "I've experienced a lot in my career, but the way the lads performed today... huge credit to the team for showing the character to win the game despite the red card and the late equaliser.
"The team showed a lot of courage and in the end they got the necessary stroke of luck. But we worked for it and that was a result of a concerted effort."
A stunning opener from Christian Gentner was cancelled out by Davie Selke early in the second half.
Daniel Ginczek headed Stuttgart back in front before a red card for Martin Harnik complicated matters for the hosts, and they conceded another equaliser through Jannik Vestergaard.
Ginczek struck again in stoppage time, though, as Stuttgart picked up maximum points for only the third time at home this season. They sit just three points from safety and one behind Paderborn in the relegation play-off berth.
With six league games remaining before the end of the season, Stevens is aware how important each match has become, saying his side face "six cup finals" as they fight for their Bundesliga place.
The 61-year-old added: "We should have done better with our chances in both halves and won it comfortably really, so we only have ourselves to blame in that regard.
"The team and the fans worked together and that inspired us over the 90 minutes. It gave us added strength. Now we've got six cup finals to go."
Next up for Stuttgart is a trip to high-flying Augsburg on Saturday.