Following the international break, VfB Stuttgart sought to strengthen their Champions League qualification hopes in a Bundesliga fixture against Borussia Dortmund.
As anticipated, the initial 45 minutes saw Stuttgart largely in control. The home side boasted 72% possession, with most of the play occurring in Dortmund’s half. However, Sebastian Hoeneß’s team struggled with their finishing, registering only two shots on target from eight attempts in the first half.
Conversely, Dortmund’s attacking presence was minimal, with their sole shot on target – a Waldemar Anton header – comfortably saved by Stuttgart’s goalkeeper, Alexander Nübel.
The second half mirrored the first, with Dortmund failing to significantly improve their play or create meaningful opportunities. Yet, against the odds, their passive approach ultimately proved effective.
Despite managing only three shots on target throughout the entire match, Dortmund capitalized on two of them in the dying moments. Karim Adeyemi broke the deadlock in the 94th minute, scoring against the run of play. Just two minutes later, Julian Brandt doubled their lead to 2-0. This second goal came from a counter-attack initiated by Fabio Silva as Stuttgart pushed for an equalizer, with Silva crossing for Brandt to volley home.
The victory was undeniably undeserved, embodying a classic “smash-and-grab” scenario. Nevertheless, it has provided Dortmund with a comfortable cushion over Stuttgart in the race for second place in the league.
VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings:
- Alexander Nübel (5)
- Finn Jeltsch (5)
- Jeff Chabot (5)
- Ramon Hendriks (5)
- Lorenz Assignon (6)
- Atakan Karazor (5)
- Angelo Stiller (7)
- Maximilian Mittelstädt (6)
- Nikolas Nartey (6)
- Chris Führich (6)
- Deniz Undav (5)
Substitutes: Jamie Leweling (5), Bilal El Khannouss (5), Tiago Tomas (5), Chema Andres (-), Ermedin Demirovic (-)
Borussia Dortmund Player Ratings:
- Gregor Kobel (6)
- Waldemar Anton (5)
- Nico Schlotterbeck (5)
- Ramy Bensebaini (5)
- Julian Ryerson (5)
- Marcel Sabitzer (5)
- Jobe Bellingham (5)
- Daniel Svensson (5)
- Maximilian Beier (5)
- Carney Chukwuemeka (5)
- Serhou Guirassy (4)
Substitutes: Karim Adeyemi (6), Fabio Silva (5), Julian Brandt (6)
Man of the Match: Angelo Stiller (7)
While standout performances were rare in this fixture, Angelo Stiller was a notable threat for Stuttgart in the first half and exerted significant control in midfield. He created two chances, completed 16 passes into the final third, and won 71% of his duels.
