Regional neighbours and right next to each other in the Bundesliga standings at kick-off, this fixture had the makings of a game not to be missed before a ball was even kicked. It did not disappoint with Stuttgart taking the lead as early as the seventh minute. Silas Wamangituka skipped past Jonathan Schmid on the left and laid the ball off to Daniel Didavi, whose powerful shot was well saved by Florian Müller, but the VfB attacker was first to the rebound, and prodded in from close range. Freiburg soon rallied, and equalised through the in-form Ermedin Demirovic, whose deflected shot from Wooyeong Jeong’s pass left Gregor Kobel wrong-footed. Demirovic hit the outside of a post at a corner before Jeong gave the hosts the lead with a composed finish after a mistake by Pascal Stenzel. The Black Forest side were on top for most of the half after that, but Stuttgart should have drawn level again when Janik Haberer felled Wamangituka in the box; Müller, however, saved well from Nicola
2-2Silas (pen. 90 +5)
Gladbach were riding the crest of a wave after edging record champions Bayern Munich 3-2 last time out, but Stuttgart went close to raining on the visitors parade when Orel Mangala warmed the palms of Yann Sommer inside 15 minutes. Borussia returned fire through Breel Embolo, who brought a low save from Gregor Kobel. The Stuttgart goalkeeper was made to work again moments later, getting two firm wrists behind a Florian Neuhaus stinger. There was nothing he could do to stop the Foals forging ahead before half-time, though. After Stefan Lainer had been brought down by Borna Sosa in the box, the in-form Stindl, who had instigated the move with a fine through-ball, found top bins with the ensuing spot-kick.