The Foals lost 2-1 on matchday 30 in Stuttgart. Julian Weigl scored from the penalty spot to equalise, but the hosts scored immediately afterwards to take all three points.
47,700 fans at a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart witnessed a slow start to this one, with few chances early on. The home team started to gain control of the game after a quarter of an hour and took the lead through Serhou Guirassy (22’). In an even second half, the Foals eventually got back on level terms via Julian Weigl’s penalty (78’), however the away fans’ joy was short-lived as Ko Itakura was sent off for a foul in the box two minutes later and Tanguy Coulibaly then scored the resulting penalty to secure a 2-1 win.
TEAM NEWS
Daniel Farke made four changes to the team that lost 1-0 at home to Union Berlin last weekend. Stefan Lainer replaced Joe Scally at right-back, while the injured trio of Ramy Bensebaini (hip), Manu Koné (muscle strain) and Marcus Thuram (adductor strain) made way for Luca Netz, Nathan Ngoumou and Alassane Plea.
Christoph Kramer, who missed the Union match due to illness, returned to the bench.
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
16’: The first chance of the game belongs to VfB. Guirassy lays it off to Karazor on the edge, who strikes it well over the bar.
17’: Zagadou heads over the goal following Sosa’s cross.
21’: Millot lets rip from just outside the area, Omlin parries well for a corner.
22’: The following corner results in a one-two between Millot and Anton in the box. Anton drives a ball towards goal and Guirassy is there to back-heel it home from a few yards out. VAR checks the goal for several minutes, but decides that it can stand as the ball to Millot came from Neuhaus and not Anton. 1-0 to Stuttgart.
33’: Neuhaus plays it through to Plea, but the Frenchman’s left-footed strike is well saved by goalkeeper Bredlow.
34’: Netz tries his luck from the resulting corner, shooting through a number of bodies – but only at the goalkeeper.
42’: Silas finds his way through on goal after a nice run in the box. Omlin is quick off his line to block his effort. The rebound hits Lainer’s head and goes out for a corner.
42’: The resulting corner picks out Millot on the edge, he volleys first time and connects nicely, though his strike goes over.
SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS
49’: A Laimer cross finds Hofmann in the middle, who can’t properly connect with shot and it trickles wide.
64’: Mavropanos clears a corner with a header and that starts a counter-attack for VfB. Silas dribbles into the box and sees his shot blocked. The ball then comes to Tiago Tomas, whose attempt is pushed away by Omlin for a corner.
75’: Tiago Tomas is in space on the edge and has lots of time. He lines up the top corner and curls it just wide.
78’: Itakura’s shot from distance is handled by Zagadou and Borussia have a penalty! Weigl steps up and puts it down the middle. 1-1.
80’: At the other end, Vagnoman plays it to Tiago Tomas in the box. Itakura bundles him over and VAR advises referee Welz to send him off. Coulibaly scores the penalty. 2-1 to Stuttgart.
90’+5: The final chance for an equaliser. Telalovic’s strike from 20 yards out is well saved by Bredlow.
MATCH FACTS
VfB Stuttgart: Bredlow – Mavropanos, Anton, Zagadou – Vagnoman, Karazor, W. Endo, Sosa, Silas (73’ Coulibaly), Millot (73’ Führich) – Guirassy (56’ Tiago Tomas) // Substitutes: F. Müller, Stenzel, Egloff, Haraguchi, Nartey, Perea
Borussia: Omlin – Lainer (87’ Herrmann), Itakura, Elvedi, Netz (84’ Wolf) – Weigl, Neuhaus (87’ Telalovic) – Hofmann, Stindl (84’ Fraulo), Ngoumou – Plea (84’ Friedrich) // Substitutes: Olschowsky, Kramer, Jantschke, Scally
Goals: 1-0 Guirassy (22’), 1-1 Weigl (78’, pen), 2-1 Coulibaly (80’, pen)
Attendance: 47,700 (sold out)
Yellow cards: Zagadou, Karazor /Weigl, Lainer
Red card: Itakura (80’)
Referee: Tobias Welz (Wiesbaden)
