Borussia Dortmund lost their last home game of the 2020 calendar year 5-1 (1-1) to VfB Stuttgart. Despite levelling the scores through Reyna before the interval, the Black & Yellows quickly fell several goals behind in the second period and were deservedly beaten in their seventh game in the space of 22 days.

VfB Stuttgart produced a strong performance in the first half and took the lead through a Wamangituka penalty in the 26th minute. The 1-1 scoreline at half-time was fortuitous for BVB considering they had significantly fewer shots (5-10) and chances (3-7), but the leveller was well worked by Guerreiro and finished brilliantly by Reyna. The Swabians surged into a 4-1 lead after the restart, however. Wamangituka netted his second goal (52), before further strikes from Förster (59) and Coulibaly (63) settled the game in the visitors' favour. Gonzalez rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.

The scenario:  
Fourth versus eighth, Bundesliga runners-up versus Bundesliga 2 runners-up. Having beaten Gladbach, Freiburg and Schalke at home, Dortmund had lost to Bayern and Cologne at Signal Iduna Park. Stuttgart were unbeaten on the road, with three victories and two draws.

Personnel matters: 
Akanji, Guerreiro und Morey had regained fitness and were all included in the starting XI. Favre made three additional changes to the team that had played in St. Petersburg on Tuesday: Sancho, Reyna and Bürki came in for Hazard (injured and not in the squad), Brandt, Piszczek, Passlack, Schulz and Hitz (all bench).

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Tactics:  
Borussia stuck with the 3-4-3 system they have deployed recently. Reus took over the central role in attack, flanked by Sancho and Reyna. Playing in a highly flexible 4-2-3-1 formation, Stuttgart were courageous and attacking with a high pressing approach that involved up to four players. Defensively, right-back Mavropanos frequently tucked in alongside the centre-backs.

The match & analysis:
The visitors played with great self-belief and created their first chances early on. Endo forced Bürki into a save in the third minute, as did Sosa four minutes later with a free-kick from 20 metres out that required the BVB keeper to demonstrate great agility to claw the ball away from the top corner. In the 12th minute, Coulibaly fired narrowly wide from the corner of the six-yard box.

Almost a quarter of an hour was gone by the time BVB found their attacking rhythm and started to create a series of chances. Bellingham's shot from close range in the 17th minute found the net, but provider Reus had been clearly offside in the build-up to the goal. The Black & Yellows did look dangerous whenever they managed to get in behind the defence. As was the case 60 seconds later when Sancho spotted Can's run forward, but Kobel quickly came off his line to thwart the danger.

But their defensive vulnerabilities were laid bare in the 26th minute. Stuttgart's long and direct approach paid off when Klimowicz was put clean through. Can tried to intervene with a sliding tackle but referee Dingert pointed to the spot and Wamangituka coolly converted to put the visitors 1-0 ahead. They were close to a second several times in the ensuing minutes. Coulibaly's effort in the box drew a save from Bürki, before Klimowicz fired the follow-up wide (30). Eight minutes later, Bürki was again forced to intervene to deny the unmarked Klimowicz following a counter-attack.

Though against the run of play, the equaliser was wonderfully well-worked and brilliantly finished. Guerreiro lofted a ball from midfield into the path of Reyna, who controlled it in the air and in one fluid movement picked out the bottom right corner with a shot (39). It was the American's fourth goal of the season.

A careless loss of possession at the beginning of the second period allowed the visitors to re-establish their lead. Mangala won the ball back in front of the penalty area and played the ball inwards towards Wamangituka, who slotted home unmarked from seven metres (52).

Favre reacted by making a personnel and tactical change. Reinier replaced Can and Borussia switched to a back four, but they still struggled to contain their opponents. Sosa had free rein to pick out Förster seconds after the change and he found the space to take a touch and fire home to make the score 3-1 (59). Shortly afterwards, Klimowicz would have made it 4-1 had it not been for the woodwork. But the fourth goal came only seconds later when Wamangituka intercepted a pass and played it to Coulibaly, who found the net via the inside of the post (63).

The last hopes to perhaps set up an exciting finale faded 10 minutes before the full-time whistle when Sancho failed to beat Kobel from a highly promising position. Reyna then found the net after being teed up by Moukoko in the 87th minute, but the video assistant disallowed the goal for offside.

Outlook: 
There are three away games – two in the league, one in the cup – before the turn of the year. BVB will be away to Werder Bremen on Tuesday (20:30 CET), before visiting Union Berlin on Friday (also at 20:30 CET). The cup tie at Eintracht Braunschweig will take place on Tuesday 22 December (20:00 CET).

Teams & goals