Club celebrations crowned by debut goal

Match summary

VfB played their first Bundesliga home game of 2025/26 on a special afternoon for the club, exactly 100 years since a Stuttgart team first appeared with a red hoop on their shirts. 

To mark the occasion, fans greeted the teams with an impressive tifo that spread around the entire stadium. The VfB players responded with a bright start out on the pitch, with the first chance falling to Jamie Leweling inside the opening minute. 

Sebastian Hoeneß’s side suffered a setback early on, though, with Deniz Undav forced off after just 14 minutes, having injured his knee following an aerial duel. Chris Führich replaced him in a match in which the teams subsequently cancelled each other out, leaving the scoreline goalless at the break. 

Chema the hero 

Gladbach started the second half strongly and Kevin Stöger, a former VfB youth player, had a chance to take the lead from a tight angle early on (50’). Roared on by their fans, Hoeneß’s men increased the pressure as the match wore on, and eventually grabbed what proved to be the winning goal when substitute Chema Andrés headed in Leweling’s cross (78’). 

Goal:

78^th minute: Leweling wins the ball on the left following a corner and floats a cross into the middle, where Chema Andrés meets it to head home. 

Special mention:

Having arrived from Real Madrid over the summer, Chema Andrés was brought on for his debut by Hoeneß in the 64^th minute, and scored the winner just 14 minutes later. 

Lorenz Assignon, a new arrival from Stade Rennes, likewise made his first Bundesliga appearance when he replaced Tiago Tomás in the 74^th minute.