VfB Stuttgart
| 0-1 | Schwaab [OG] | (42. Min) |
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Cristian Molinaro
Stats 
Negative home start
At the end of a typical ‘game of two halves’, VfB were to be left empty handed in their first home game of the new Bundesliga season, losing 0-1 to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. In spite of their very best efforts, there was to be no way past the Bayer defence on the day.
Trainer Bruno Labbadia was forced to improvise with his starting eleven, opting for a three-man defence (Antonio Rüdiger, Daniel Schwaab, Cristian Molinaro), supported by two further men in wide positions (Gotoku Sakai and Konstantin Rausch). The game got off to a lively start, with Ulreich first denying Kießling (3’) and then Leno blocking Sakai at the other end (5’). With 16 minutes played, the 40,800 strong crowd were on their feet as Gentner, Sakai and Harnik combined to set Ibrahima Traoré on his way, but the Guinean international was unable to find the target. As the half progressed, the game became ever more confined to the centre of the park, with neither side finding a clear way through, until the visitors broke on the left and then had fortune on their side. Boenisch put in a cross, which Daniel Schwaab attempted to clear, but the defender turned the ball into his own net and gave Leverkusen a 1-0 lead to take into the half time break.
Slideshow
All effort, no reward
To begin the second period, Labbadia introduced Cacau and Moritz Leitner in place of Rausch and Boka to add a more attacking element. The move succeeded in shifting the play closer to the Leverkusen goal, but chances remained a rarity. VfB looked to carve out some openings, but a long-range effort from Cacau (57’) and another from Gentner (73’) were not enough to put the hosts back level.
Daniel Schwaab: “I’m just really disappointed" Post match comments
To add to VfB’s frustration, in the 81st minute, Gentner hit the crossbar from distance and soon after, Timo Werner, who replaced Sakai, was denied by the fully stretched Bernd Leno. The home side refused to give up the battle and pressed until the end, but there was no way back for Stuttgart and Labbadia’s men were again left empty handed on the second day of the season.
