VfB Stuttgart 2 - 3 FT Borussia Mönchengladbach

Five goals, late nerves at MHP Arena

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 82/100. A 3-2 away win gives Borussia Mönchengladbach their first league points and exposes how little VfB Stuttgart’s possession protected them.

The opening: Stuttgart strike early

Five minutes were enough to wake MHP Arena: Ermedin Demirović turned Dženan Pejčinović’s pass into Stuttgart’s opener. The hosts then took hold of the ball. Seventy per cent possession and 590 accurate passes gave them territory, but not command of the dangerous spaces. Gladbach stayed patient and struck in the 38th minute, when Joe Scally finished Zento Uno’s assist. It was not a reward for long spells of possession; it was a direct answer that punished the room behind Stuttgart’s pressure. Intensity ran high from the start, yet Balance was already slipping: Stuttgart circulated the ball, while Gladbach found the cleaner route forward. The equaliser exposed the night’s central question: who would make the next opening count? Stuttgart had the territorial edge, but little protection against a quick break.

The pivot: Gladbach punish the gaps

The break brought no cooling-off; it brought Gladbach’s turnaround. In the 51st minute, Wael Mohya set up Shuto Machino to put the visitors in front. Fifteen minutes later, the roles flipped: Joe Scally laid it on and Mohya finished for 3-1. That was the pivot. Stuttgart still had the ball, but Gladbach attacked the open lanes in fewer touches and with far more purpose. The chance quality confirms it: Gladbach posted 2.66 expected goals to Stuttgart’s 1.63, and made three big chances to the hosts’ two. The Upset dimension was unmistakable, but this was no smash-and-grab built on a single lucky moment. Gladbach repeatedly made its limited possession count. Mohya’s goal and assist drove the swing, while Stuttgart’s passing volume began to look like a comfort blanket instead of a weapon. The gap between possession and danger was impossible to ignore.

The finish: a late scare, a vital win

Stuttgart refused to fold. Substitute Jamie Leweling, introduced in the 55th minute, found Demirović, who scored his second in the 83rd to cut the deficit to one. The closing spell became a siege: 31 shots overall, 11 on target and 11 corners show how hard the hosts pressed. Gladbach survived it and carried the lead to full time. Their 3-2 away win at MHP Arena delivers the club’s first league points of the season. After six matches without a point, the side that began the night bottom finally has a foothold. The Stakes are immediate: this is a boost in the relegation battle, not an instant escape. Stuttgart must explain how 70 per cent possession still allowed three goals. Demirović’s brace made the finish tense; the late surge mattered, but it came too late.

Early Relegation Fears Haunt Gladbach

Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 42/100. A woeful away side devoid of confidence makes this clash on October 23, 2026, at the MHPArena a deeply unappealing spectacle for neutrals but a massive opportunity for the hosts.

The Setup

Borussia Mönchengladbach are currently enduring an absolute nightmare. Rooted to the very bottom of the Bundesliga table with zero points from five matches, their dreadful Form rating reflects a team in total disarray. Having already shipped an alarming 18 goals, the visitors are bleeding from every defensive pore. The Stakes might technically appear low this early in the autumn, but an undeniable relegation battle atmosphere has already engulfed the visiting squad. Every dropped point feels catastrophic right now.

Conversely, VfB Stuttgart are sitting somewhat comfortably in 12th place, aiming to climb into the top half. While they have suffered three defeats themselves, their far superior Balance across the pitch gives them a massive upper hand in this fixture. The home crowd will demand immediate aggression, and Stuttgart's attacking Stars like A. Stiller and J. Leweling are perfectly equipped to inflict maximum damage on a broken opponent. Against a backline conceding over three goals per away trip, Stuttgart will smell blood from the opening whistle.

Key Battle

The decisive area will be Stuttgart's marauding wide play coming up against Gladbach's collapsing defensive line. Without the required tactical discipline to track overlapping runners, the visitors constantly leave their central defenders exposed. If Stuttgart can quickly shift the ball to the flanks and whip crosses into the penalty area, Gladbach's disjointed rearguard will inevitably buckle under the relentless pressure.

Our Prediction

Expect a routine, comfortable victory for the home side. Stuttgart will deploy a high press immediately, forcing early turnovers from a notoriously nervous backline. Once the first goal goes in, Gladbach's fragile morale will shatter, allowing the hosts to cruise to a highly convincing 3-0 win without breaking much of a sweat.