VfB Stuttgart defeated Cologne 4-1 in the second round of the Bundesliga at the MHP Arena. The hosts secured a convincing victory that shifted their standing after a difficult start to the season. It was a match defined by moments rather than sustained pressure, with the outcome decided in brief bursts of intensity.
Bilal El Khannouss opened the scoring in the 39th minute, catching the defence off guard. Grischa Prömel doubled the advantage shortly after, firing home in the 60th minute. Ermedin Demirović added an own goal from Ramon Hendriks in the 81st minute, and Josha Vagnoman sealed the result with a late strike in the 90th minute. The visitors failed to respond despite having opportunities.
The prediction called for a home win, and here's the thing, the tactical setup allowed Stuttgart to control the tempo. By then, the visitors had already conceded twice and struggled to find rhythm. The hosts changed shape at half-time, pressing higher and forcing errors in the final third. It was a calculated approach that paid dividends.
Cologne managed to create space through individual dribbles, but lacked precision in the final pass. They completed 16 dribbles compared to Stuttgart's nine, yet only one big chance emerged from the effort. The visitors' expected goals stood at 1.58, but they could not convert the opportunities presented. The hosts, meanwhile, generated 3.04 expected goals and took 16 shots on target.
Stuttgart dominated possession with 58 per cent, completing 517 passes against Cologne's 374. They created six big chances while their opponents managed just one. The defensive line made 23 clearances, while the visitors had to clear 29 times. Shots accuracy for the hosts reached 36 per cent, whereas Cologne sat at 24 per cent.
The result leaves Stuttgart in 18th place with zero points, while Cologne move up to seventh with three points. The goal difference remains tight, but the psychological weight of the defeat sits heavy on the visitors. Stuttgart will look to build momentum from this performance in the coming weeks.
