Borussia Monchengladbach travelled to the Mercedes-Benz Arena this evening looking for what would be just their third win in 31 Bundesliga games against Stuttgart.
Lucien Favre's side have announced themselves as contenders for a Champions League spot early in the season, and sent a clear message to their rivals with a commanding 2-0 victory over Die Roten.
Raffael and Oscar Wendt scored either side of half time to clinch a victory that takes them four points clear of fifth-placed Wolfsburg after 13 games.
Scroll down to read how an entertaining match unfolded in Stuttgart.
Good evening! Welcome to Sports Mole for live text commentary of tonight's Bundesliga clash between Stuttgart and Borussia Monchengladbach at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
First order of business, team news...
STUTTGART XI: Ulreich, Schwaab, Niedermeier, Rudiger, Rausch, Kvist, Gentner, Leitner, Maxim, Werner, Ibisevic
MONCHENGLADBACH XI: Ter Stegen, Korb, Jantschke, Stranzl, Wendt, Kramer, Xhaka, Herrmann, Arango, Raffael, M. Kruse
The visitors have enjoyed a strong start to the season, although their away form has left more to be desired. They have lost four on the road so far - at Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim and Hertha Berlin. Their only success has been at Hamburger SV, as well as a point at Augsburg. Although the latter is probably more a source of frustration.
Meanwhile, the hosts have struggled on home turf, with a 6-2 victory over Hoffenheim in September still counted as their only win at the Mercedez-Benz Arena this term. Defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen, as well as draws with Frankfurt, Werder Bremen and Nuremberg, is a sign of their struggles.
Difficulty at home is not a new concept for Thomas Schnieder's men. They may take some solace from last season's fixture, in which they earned their first victory at home win of 2013. That was back in April.
The players are making their way onto the field, meaning we're just moments from kickoff.
KICKOFF! The visitors, in their black and green strip, get us underway at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Stuttgart are in their traditional white and red, kicking from left to right.
CHANCE! An early opportunity for Ibisevic, as Maxim gets down the right and squares across goal, but the Bosnian could not quite make contact under pressure from Korb.
Bright start from the hosts, they are winning the midfield battle at the moment. Kvist and Leitner are buzzing about, and Monchengladbach are finding it difficult to have any reasonable amount of possession in the middle of the park.
SHOT! Well struck shot at goal from Xhaka, but Ulreich got down well to make the save. The visitors are seeing much more of the ball now, as Stuttgart drop off slightly with their pressing.
It's been a strange opening quarter of an hour. Both teams have had their little spells, but neither have really threatened. Ibisevic's chance was a a decent opportunity, while Xhaka has had a couple of pops at goal. Still no real talking points, though. Pretty even.
CHANCE! Big opportunity for the visitors! Patrick Herrmann was slipped through on goal by Raffaele, but Ulreich was quick off his line to make a vital save. The ball rebounded to Max Kruse, but he sliced a left-footed effort high.
The visitors have stepped up a gear now, and are shading possession with 51%. A lot of that is in defence, but they are showing some intent going forward. Stuttgart are keeping their shape reasonably well, but there is absolutely no defending from the front. Monchengladbach have free passage into the midfield at the moment.
Good play by Werner, as he shows the Monchengladbach defence a clean set of heels to get to the left byline, but his cross is cut out rather easily. He didn't have many options in the box.
Monchengladbach still biding their time at the back before launching their attacks. The home crowd are getting a bit frustrated, and a few whistles are starting to ring around the Mercedes-Benz Arena. It's a familiar story for them, it seems.
SHOT! An absolute piledriver from Kvist, but it was always going high and wide of Ter Stegen's frame. Would've burst the net had that gone in. Some power on that.
CHANCE! Monchenglad back are in control, so much so they look like the home side. However, they are caught napping in midfield by Gendtner, who plays Werner one on one with Ter Stegen. The young goalkeeper manages to get a hand on the ball to disrupt Werner, sending the ball out for a corner. Stuttgart really sprang to life then.
GOAL! Stuttgart 0-1 Borussia Monchengladbach (Raffael)
It's there! Monchengladbach open the scoring in what has been an entertaining encounter so far! The visitors have been the better team, and it's no less than they deserve really. Raffael showed composure in holding off a couple of challenges and rounding Ulreich to fire Lucien Favre's men ahead.
Stuttgart have had their moments, although it doesn't really need mentioning that the counter-attacking football employed by Schnieder is normally reserved as an away tactic. I don't think the home fans are too impressed with inviting pressure from Monchengladbach, and who can blame them? The visiting defenders have not been hassled in possession even nearly as much as they should have been.
SHOT! A fast break by Monchengladbach this time, with Herrmann squaring for Kruse on the edge of the area. Ulreich got a hand to the German international's shot, though, diverting it wide for a corner.
HALF TIME: Stuttgart 0-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
It's a deserved half-time lead for Lucien Favre's side. They have dictated the pace of the game and have been a threat any time they have ventured forward.
STUTTGART STATS:
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possesion: 45%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 5
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possesion: 45%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 5
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
MONCHENGLADBACH STATS:
Shots: 9
On target: 6
Possession: 55%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 4
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
Shots: 9
On target: 6
Possession: 55%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 4
Yellow: 0
Red: 0
Apologies, a few coding errors on my part in the last post. A manual refresh will sort that problem out.
STUTTGART SUBSTITUTION: Schneider is going to make a change for the second half, with Ibrahim Traore coming on to replace Moritz Leitner.
RESTART! The hosts get us underway in the second half.
The home fans are in full voice in support of their team, who need a spark to avoid another disappointing result at home this year.
Timo Werner hits the deck after taking one in the unmentionables, but he's OK to continue. Monchengladbach move the ball into the attacking third, and have four men in support. Kruse cannot find a man in space, and Stuttgart are able to clear their lines.
SHOT! The visitors are enjoying so much space in the middle of the park at the moment. Herrmann and Kruse are pressing the defenders high up the pitch, and that created an opening for Juan Arango to shoot, but Ulreich made the save.
CHANCE! Raffael heads at goal from Max Kruse's cross, but the Brazilian's effort goes inches over the bar. Arango has another dip moments later, but it sails harmlessly off target. It's all Monchengladbach at the moment.
Stuttgart are going to make another change.
STUTTGART SUBSTITUTION: Thomas Kvist is the man to make way for the hosts, as the coach puts on an extra forward in Mohammed Abdellaoue.
This Monchengladbach team is a well-organised outfit. Stuttgart are seeing more of the ball in the attacking half, but there are blac-and-green shirts back in numbers to defend the penalty area, with Max Kruse being the man to eventually clear the lines. It took them very little time to spring back into formation and press the ball on the half way line. Impressive.
SAVE! Ter Stegen gets down low to stop Traore from drawing Stuttgart level. Good save from the young German international.
SAVE! Herrmann slips Kruse through to shoot at Ulreich, who makes a fine stop at his top right-hand corner. That looked like it might've just been sneaking in. It's end-to-end football at the moment.
GOAL! Stuttgart 0-2 Borussia Monchengladbach (Oscar Wendt)
And there's the second for the visitors! Oscar Wendt has time to let the ball drop before firing in from just outside the area, under absolutely no pressure from anyone in red and white. That could be the killer goal for Favre's side, the atmosphere inside the stadium has been dulled.
Stuttgart are coming up a wall of a defence here. Jantschke and Korb have at no point looked vulnerable, and every man is working hard. A third goal for Monchengladbach would really send a message to their Bundesliga rivals. If they go on to secure three points this evening, they will be four clear of fifth-placed Wolfsburg after 13 games.
We're into the final five minutes and the game seems to have run its course. Stuttgart are spent as an attacking force and Monchengladbach are having it a bit easy, if truth be told. It has been a great performance from the visitors, who look like clinching just their third win in 31 Bundesliga matches against Stuttgart (11D, 17L - via OptaFranz)
MONCHENGLADBACH SUBSTITUTION: Juan Arango comes off for Luuk de Jong. We're going to have two minutes of injury time at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
FULL TIME: STUTTGART 0-2 BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
Fantastic victory for Lucien Favre's men. They have given a really good account of themselves this evening, they were truly impressive. For Stuttgart, their troubles at home continue. They have now won just one in six at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Favre: "The game was fast, we controlled it. Stuttgart were dangerous on the counter." - And that's about the extent of my German. Sorry, folks. But he's right, nonetheless. It was a good game to watch, and his team were undoubtedly better.
That brings an end to our coverage on Sports Mole. Thanks for joining us!
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
