Both sides lined up in a 3-4-2-1 and cancelled each other through a cautious first half. Stuttgart actually put more shots on target before the break, yet Dortmund’s territory grew through better final-third entries. The deadlock finally broke on 70 minutes when Maximilian Beier finished with his right foot from close range, assisted by Jobe Bellingham. The shot carried an xG of 0.30 and xGOT of 0.42, a high-value look fashioned at the right time.

Momentum tilted after Dortmund’s 62-minute double change that brought Bellingham and Konstantinos Karetsas on. Stuttgart pushed late, winning corners and piling up possession, but could not find the final touch. Julian Ryerson’s injury-related exit at 82 minutes momentarily invited pressure, yet the visitors’ back line absorbed it. Dortmund saw out three minutes of added time without major scares. Across 90 minutes, the visitors were more incisive when it mattered.

Shot profile and expected goals

Stuttgart outshot Dortmund on target 5-2, but the quality of chances leaned black and yellow. The xG split finished 0.87 for Stuttgart to 1.34 for Dortmund, reflecting the visitors’ three big chances created to the hosts’ zero. Dortmund also produced more shots inside the box, 10 to 8, reinforcing where their threat came from. Despite the hosts’ on-target edge, expected goals on target landed at 0.44 for Dortmund and 0.59 for Stuttgart.

Dortmund’s blocked-shot tally of five further hints at promising situations shut down at the last second. Touches in the box told a similar tale, with Dortmund on 31 compared to Stuttgart’s 15. Stuttgart’s shot map skewed toward lower-probability attempts, and their six off-target efforts matched Dortmund’s count. The margin was thin, but the visitors’ best looks were better, and Beier converted one of them. That single clinical moment decided the contest.

Defending, goalkeeping and duels

Dortmund’s defensive numbers underpinned the win. They led tackles 15-10, interceptions 10-5 and edged recoveries 51-48, all while matching Stuttgart for clearances at 30 each. The visitors also threw bodies in the way with five blocks, a key reason the hosts’ on-target tally did not translate into goals. Kobel made five saves and posted +0.59 goals prevented, the top goalkeeping mark in the game.

At the other end, Fabian Bredlow registered one save and a goals-prevented figure of -0.56, a small but telling swing. Dortmund also won the aerial battle 56% to 44%, important against Stuttgart’s late crossing surge. On the ground, Stuttgart edged duels 51% to 48%, yet the visitors were more effective in critical areas. It was a rugged night in midfield, reflected by 14 Dortmund fouls and five yellow cards, but the defensive structure held. Those ingredients, plus the bench impact, were enough to secure the clean sheet.

Midfield control and passing lanes

Stuttgart finished with more of the ball overall, owning 56% possession and attempting 542 passes to Dortmund’s 431. They also completed 472 passes to 334 and maintained an excellent 81% success in final-third phase actions, compared to Dortmund’s 68%. Yet Dortmund found better access to the danger zone, logging 72 final-third entries to Stuttgart’s 64. That balance captures the night: more control for Stuttgart, more penetration for Dortmund.

Long-ball accuracy was comparable, 46% for Stuttgart and 40% for Dortmund, while crossing favored the visitors’ efficiency at 25% to 19%. Stuttgart were dispossessed nine times to Dortmund’s four, a detail that blunted several promising sequences. Individually, Joey Veerman’s 48 of 55 completed passes and one big chance created helped move Dortmund up the pitch. Felix Nmecha added 39 of 42 passing with 5 of 5 long balls, plus three tackles won and eight recoveries to steer the press. Nico Schlotterbeck chipped in two key passes from the back, and Ryerson produced 0.36 xA before going off hurt. Jobe Bellingham’s neat assist then provided the decisive touch in the final third.

MVP: Maximilian Mittelstädt

On a night when Stuttgart could not score, Maximilian Mittelstädt still delivered a standout two-way display. He posted a Sofascore Rating of 7.9, the highest in the match. The left-sider led his team with 108 touches, completed 61 of 68 passes and delivered 10 crosses, three of them accurate. He also created three key passes with 0.45 expected assists, a strong output for a defender.

Defensively, Mittelstädt stacked up six clearances, three interceptions and four recoveries, and he won eight duels while being fouled four times. His ball carrying was a steady outlet, with 30 carries and 327 meters covered, including 125 meters of progressive distance. Those numbers show why Stuttgart’s left flank was their most reliable route forward. He was energetic, tidy and brave in possession, and he read danger well all game.

A few Dortmund performers were close behind on the chart. Nmecha’s 7.8 reflected his all-around influence in midfield. Kobel’s 7.7 came with five saves and the best goals-prevented figure. Veerman checked in at 7.5 after a clean passing night. Maximilian Beier and Jobe Bellingham both finished at 7.4, combining for the winning goal and assist. Mittelstädt still set the pace in the Sofascore Ratings, even in defeat.