BVB claim comfortable 3-0 victory over Stuttgart

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting

The 81,360 spectators at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK – which was sold out for the eighth time this season – saw an opening half-hour in which the visitors from Stuttgart showed more energy and were very effective at breaking up the home side's build-up play, albeit without ever really carving open any clear-cut chances. Instead, it was BVB who struck first through Pulisic on the 38-minute mark and, having taken the lead, they began to exert greater control over the game. Batshuayi doubled the advantage on 48 minutes and, with the Swabians offering little at the other end, Philipp rounded off the victory with a third goal just before the hour-mark (59). The hosts created a slew of further chances in the final half-hour but failed to add to the scoreline.

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The scenario:
VfB went into this game on an eight-match unbeaten run, having climbed from 14th to eighth in the table since their last defeat. BVB, meanwhile, lost last weekend for the first time in 12 matches to bring to an end their longest such unbeaten streak in two years. Prior to losing the reverse fixture 2-1, the Black & Yellows had been unbeaten in 12 meetings with Stuttgart.

Personnel matters:
Dortmund were without Durm (torn lateral collateral ligament in ankle), Guerreiro, Zagadou (both muscular problems), Kagawa (ankle), Rode (groin operation) and Yarmolenko (fitness training); Reus recovered from a muscular complaint and returned to the starting line-up, as did Toprak, Sahin and Philipp. Akanji, Götze, Schürrle and Castro all dropped to the bench having started last time out. Visitors Stuttgart were missing Baumgartl (training program following concussion) and Carlos Mané (torn thigh tendon).

Tactics:
Borussia Dortmund adopted their usual 4-2-3-1 formation under Peter Stöger, with a defensive midfield duo of Sahin and Dahoud in which the latter played the marginally more attacking role. Reus began in a central role directly behind lone frontman Batshuayi, while Philipp (left) and Pulisic began on the flanks. VfB took to the field in a 4-4-2 system that was geared towards breaking up BVB's build-up play. Gomez joined Ginzczek in attack but sat slightly behind the former Dortmund player. Both Stuttgart strikers worked to disrupt the home side quickly as they built the play, a task in which they were supported by Ascacibar pushing up from defensive midfield.

The match & analysis:
In the opening minutes of the first period, BVB looked to stay compact at the back so as to avoid falling behind early on once again. Nonetheless, the uncertainty brought about by the defeat in Munich was visible among Peter Stöger's charges – and Stuttgart could sense it too. The Swabians saw the potential to make something happen and sought to build the pressure, succeeding on occasions. One such period came between the 10th and 12th minutes, when they won three corners in quick succession and had their hosts pinned back in their own penalty area. But all they could manage was a single shot by Thommy, which flew towards the corner flag.

Nonetheless, it still took Borussia some time to extricate themselves from Stuttgart's grasp. With 16 minutes on the clock, Reus broke through into the box on the left for the first time, picking out Batshuayi. VfB custodian Zieler, though, was quick off his line and snatched the ball away from the Belgian as he prepared to pounce. Two minutes later Reus played the ball out to Pulisic, whose fizzing cross across the face of goal eluded his team-mates. Stuttgart broke up BVB's build-up play well in the ensuing period and, in the opening half-hour as a whole, looked more dangerous than their hosts. On the 26-minute mark, Gomez came close when he emerged completely unmarked at the back post to meet a free-kick with a header but it sailed a good half a metre over.

Though their difficulties in building the play continued to be conspicuous, BVB began to gain a better foothold in the match towards the end of the first half. Pulisic, who fired over the bar from a free-kick in the 31st minute, went one better seven minutes later when he was picked out by Piszczek down the right and lofted a cross into the box, which caught everyone by surprise by sailing into the top corner of the goal, leaving Zieler with absolutely no chance and putting the home side in the lead (38). The advantage would have been doubled three minutes later had Reus' volley from 12 metres out not flown inches wide of the upright (41). There was to be another chance before the interval, with Philipp shooting wide from seven metres out on 43 minutes.

BVB, now playing towards the South Stand, looked much brighter in the second half. The minute hand on the clock had yet to complete three full turns before the scoreboards in the corners of SIGNAL IDUNA PARK read 2-0 to the Black & Yellows. Dahoud played the ball towards Batshuayi, who fed it to Sahin on the wing. The Turkey international completed the one-two and the Belgian forward slid the ball into the far corner from six metres (48). The second goal gave Dortmund momentum. Six minutes later another counter steamed towards Zieler's goal but Philipp missed the right moment to shoot or pick out Reus on the left and the ball found its way to Sahin, whose shot initially caused Zieler problems but he gathered the ball at the second attempt.

Only five minutes later the hosts deservedly grabbed their third of the afternoon. Dahoud crossed from the left for Philipp to head towards goal at the back post and, with Zieler only able to parry the ball into the shooter's path, the former Freiburg man was the first to react and slotted home thanks in part to a deflection from Badstuber (59). The wave of attacks were not finished yet. On 67 minutes, Toljan had a dangerous shot from 15 metres that was well saved by Zieler. BVB were cutting VfB apart by this point and five minutes later Zieler would have been beaten once again if Pulisic had managed to play the ball to Batshuayi following another counter. The US international tried to go it alone but shot narrowly wide of the frame of the goal under pressure from Zieler (72). Batshuayi soon got another opportunity, however, shooting inches wide of the mark from 13 metres out (75). In the closing stages, Gomez had Stuttgart's best chance with a shot from 24 metres that came back off the post, while Badstuber intervened with a last-ditch clearance to deny Dahoud (86) and Zieler made a strong save from Sahin (90).

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Outlook:
BVB are next in action a week today (Sunday 15 April, 15:30 CET), when they travel to Gelsenkirchen for the Ruhr derby.

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