Goalless first half
VfB were the better side from the outset at a sold-out MHPArena, enjoying over 60 percent possession in the first half against a Dortmund side who lined up with a five-man backline.
VfB superior
Nevertheless, it was the visitors who went closest to scoring initially, with Marcel Sabitzer hitting the crossbar from the edge of the box in the 20th minute on one of Dortmund’s rare forays forward. Sebastian Hoeneß’s charges were unable to convert chances for Deniz Undav (43’) and Atakan Karazor (45’), leaving the game goalless at the break.
Gripping spectacle
Guirassy finally broke the deadlock in the 54th minute following a fine assist from Enzo Millot. The match subsequently developed into an end-to-end thriller, with Dortmund adopting a more forward-thinking approach and VfB looking menacing on the counter. Millot had an effort saved by Gregor Kobel just before the hour mark, but Silas showed him how it was done in the 77th minute when he scored Stuttgart’s decisive second goal, sparking wild celebrations to crown an outstanding team performance.
Goals
54th minute: Millot plays an inch-perfect pass into the box and Guirassy holds his nerve in front of Kobel to slide in the opening goal.
77th minute: Maximilian Mittelstädt slips the ball through to Silas on the counter-attack, and the substitute flicks it past Kobel and into the net.
Reactions
Maximilian Mittelstädt: “I think we played really well again. We had a lot of control, plenty of chances and absolutely deserved to win the game.”
Waldemar Anton: “That was an outstanding and very dominant performance. We’re proud of the way we played and of reaching the quarter-finals.”