Match Report
Own goal and red card in 2-1 loss to Stuttgart
Boris Rupert reporting
BVB were in the ascendancy in the first period (almost 62% possession) and created one or two opportunities, but the best chance fell to a well-organised VfB side. Can prevented an almost certain goal from being scored by Undav in the 37th minute. The 81,365 spectators, who had packed into a sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK full of hope, witnessed Anton turn the ball into his own net in the 50th minute, before Chabot doubled the advantage to 2-0 a short while later (61). Brandt pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining, then Ryerson was sent off for a second booking in the final minute.
The scenario:
Six places but only three points separated 11th-placed Borussia Dortmund and fifth-placed VfB Stuttgart. BVB were winless in five competitive matches against VfB but had won six of their nine home games against the Swabians before that. VfB had failed to pick up a point in their last two Bundesliga outings (2-0 loss in Mainz, 2-1 defeat at home to Mönchengladbach).
Personnel matters:
On his debut in the BVB dugout, Niko Kovac made only one change to the starting line-up compared to the 2-1 victory in Heidenheim last time out: Karim Adeyemi replaced Julien Duranville, who was among the substitutes along with the fit-again Niklas Süle and new signing Daniel Svensson. Carney Chukwuemeka was absent, however (knock to his knee).
Tactics:
Kovac stuck with the 4-2-3-1 formation that interim coach and predecessor Mike Tullberg had lined the team up in for the last match in Heidenheim. Bensebaini frequently moved into central midfield in possession of the ball. Stuttgart, also configured in a 4-2-3-1, were very well organised, pressed high with up to five players in the Dortmund half and did not shy away. VfB built the play with a three-man backline and a full-back pushed forward into midfield and tried to get in behind the defence with long balls.
The match & analysis:
Despite their significantly higher share of possession, BVB struggled to get into the game against a tough-tackling opponent and only won their first corner in the 10th minute. But it posed a threat. Bensebaini got to the ball from a tight angle at the back post and Mittelstädt made the block, before the Algerian curled the ball narrowly wide of the goal. But Stuttgart not only looked more composed in the first 45 minutes, they were more dangerous in terms of their play too. Can was booked after a quarter of an hour after resorting to a shirt pull to stop Undav. Chabot headed the ensuing free-kick home but was clearly offside when the ball was played.
A piece of individual play from Gittens, who cut in from the left level with the edge of box and went for goal, in the 21st minute was the next noteworthy glimpse of goal from a Black & Yellow perspective. But it posed Nübel no problems. Things look more promising five minutes later when Gittens again cut inside and then unleashed a powerful shot from range. Nübel turned it behind for a corner. Wingers Adeyemi and Gittens were by now slowly bringing their speed advantage to bear, although they were dealt with by Stuttgart's defensive and attacking wide players.
The pace then picked up in the 37th minute of a game that had been calm until that point. Undav first went clean through on the Dortmund goal following a badly timed backpass from Anton and dribbled past Kobel before being stopped by Can. It was a world-class intervention from the captain! Then Ryerson delivered a sharp cross into the middle directly afterwards and Adeyemi flicked it goalbound on the turn from eight metres out, but Nübel made the save.
BVB re-emerged from the changing rooms with more purpose on what was a sunny early spring day. Adeyemi broke through in a centre-right position following a Guirassy pass barely two minutes after the restart but rather than shooting, he tried to pick out a team-mate on the edge of or in the six-yard box and did not find one. Adeyemi was through again after a one-two with Brandt less than two minutes later and this time shot from another really tight angle, but it went wide. The breakthrough then came at the other end: Führich sprinted forward from his own half and was played free by a one-two down the right. He passed sharply into the middle and Anton turned the ball into his own net rather than behind for a corner (51).
Following Stuttgart's fourth corner kick, Hendriks was offside when the cross came in and then challenged Guirassy, who played the ball to the opposition. Leweling then got the ball on the right flank and played a cross towards Chabot, who fired into the net on the left of the six-yard box to make it 2-0. A very questionable goal.
The rub of the green was not on Dortmund's side. The own goal and the highly questionable legality of the second goal were followed by bad luck in attack: Nübel just managed to turn Gittens' shot onto the bar (69). Stuttgart withdrew deep and BVB applied pressure but initially could hardly break through – until the eighth corner. Brandt played a short one-two with Groß on the left side before firing the ball low into the net from a tight angle to make it 2-1. It grew increasingly hectic. Stiller tugged and tugged at Ryerson, whose attempt to extricate himself was punished by referee Siebert with a booking and then a red card (90). Stiller also saw yellow. BVB were outnumbered for the seven minutes of stoppage time and only had one other chance to score in the 97th minute, but Brandt fired a free-kick wide of the mark.
Outlook:
BVB will travel to Lisbon to face Sporting in the UEFA Champions League play-off round on Tuesday (21:00 CET), before visiting VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga on Saturday (15:30 CET).
Teams & goals
Bundesliga Matchday 21
Saturday 8 February 2025, 15:30 CET
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 (0-0) VFB STUTTGART
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini (Svensson, 85) – Sabitzer, Groß (Reyna, 85) – Adeyemi (Beier, 71), Brandt, Gittens (Duranville, 85) – Guirassy
VfB Stuttgart: Nübel – Stergiou, Chabot, Hendriks, Mittelstädt – Karazor, Stiller – Leweling (Woltemade, 86), Millot (Keitel, 77), Führich (Vagnoman, 70) – Undav (Demirovic, 70)
Substitutes: Meyer, Couto, Özcan, Süle, Wätjen – Bredlow, Jaquez, Jeltsch, Stenzel, Rieder
Goals: 0-1 Anton (Führich own goal, 50), 0-2 Chabot (Leweling, 61), 1-2 Brandt (Groß, 81)
Corners: 8-4 (4-3 at half-time), chance ratio: 6-3 (3-1)
Referee: Siebert (Berlin), red card: Ryerson (repeated foul play, 90), yellow cards: Can, Adeyemi, Duranville, Kehl – Stiller, Karazor
Attendance: 81,365 (sold-out), weather: bright, 09 degrees