The coronavirus outbreak has put many things on hold since mid-March, including Bundesliga 2 action. These football-free times are an ideal opportunity to look back at the 25 matchdays we have had so far this season.
Opening goal
VfB’s first goal of the season came courtesy of Mario Gomez in the 29th minute of the home game against Hannover 96 (2-1), on 26 July 2019. It was a season-opener on three accounts – the first VfB league goal of the season, the first anywhere in the German second division in 2019/2020 and Gomez’s first ever goal in the second tier. Daniel Didavi scored VfB’s second – and winning – goal of that particular match.
Goal number 41
The most recent VfB goal was also fired home by Gomez, in the top-of-the-table clash with Arminia Bielefeld on Matchday 25. The 34-year-old gave his side the lead in the 53rd minute but Stuttgart were pegged back and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. It was the striker’s sixth goal of the season and VfB’s 41st overall this term.
Fastest goal
Ninety-three seconds was all it took for Didavi to open the scoring in the match at home to SpVgg Greuther Fürth – VfB’s fastest league goal of the season. The game took place on Matchday 7 and ended up as a 2-0 win at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. VfB went one better in the DFB Cup, however, with Nicolas Gonzalez scoring from the spot in round two after a mere 85 seconds.
Winning challenges
In the 25 league matches so far this season, VfB have won 53 per cent of their challenges, putting them top of the league in this particular category.
Mr Consistency
Pascal Stenzel has racked up by far the most minutes of any VfB player in the current season, playing 2,211 of a possible 2,250 minutes for the club. The 24-year-old defender has featured in 25 matches, 24 of them in the starting XI and twice leading the team out with the captain’s armband in the absence of Marc Oliver Kempf and Didavi.
Super sub
VfB have made good use of their bench this term, with Gonzalez, Silas Wamangituka and Hamadi Al Ghaddioui each scoring three goals after coming on as substitutes.
Fortress Mercedes-Benz Arena
In 13 home matches to date, the lads from Cannstatt have picked up no fewer than 31 points, with ten wins and just the one draw – the 1-1 stalemate against Bielefeld on Matchday 25. Only twice have VfB come away empty-handed from the Mercedes-Benz Arena, with a home goal difference of +18 (27:9).
Home comforts
Veteran campaigner Didavi has scored all of his goals this season at home – six out of six – while Gomez also has a preference for the Mercedes-Benz Arena, notching five out of his six strikes in front of the VfB faithful.