Highlights
H. Osmers
Full-time
90'
+ 5
Thielmann!
Almost the late, late winner. A free-kick is headed clear but only as far Thielmann 20 yards out. It sits up kindly and he hits it sweetly, heading straight for the top corner but Müller - who's not had much to do - reacts just in time jumping high to his right and gets a strong hand to it.
90'
+ 5
90'
+ 4
Substitution
90'
+ 1
Disappointment for both?
xGoals
The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).
xGoals
0
0.31
1.73
0
Goals
90'
+ 1
Added time
Four minutes to be added on and potentially find a winner...
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
85'
Ljubicic wide
Make that three shots that fail to test Müller. Ljubicic tries to bend one from 20 yards but puts it well wide.
84'
Underwhelming?
Goal attempts
3off target
1on target
8off target
5on target
82'
Another Schwäbe stop
No Silas this time but a shot from 20 yards by Mavropanos that takes a deflection off Hübers. Good reactions and hands from the Cologne goalkeeper to hold. And just moments after the Greek defender popped up in the box and was just beaten to a tap-in.
76'
Silas withdrawn
He's not happy but it's the Congolese forward whose number goes up on the board as the visitors perhaps look to shore things up with 15 minutes to go and a man down.
76'
Substitution
75'
Not quite working
Still Stuttgart look to get forward. Silas attempts a one-two in the box but he's blocked just before he can get a shot away.
72'
Matarazzo dismissed
Doesn't quite count as the 144th red card but VfB coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has talked his way into a second yellow card and he's banished to the stands.
70'
Another red
Pfeiffer's dismissal - on his first start for the club - was the 143rd red card in Stuttgart's Bundesliga history. That's more than any other club.
Story of the day
© IMAGO/Pressefoto Rudel/Robin Rudel/IMAGO/Sportfoto Rudel
64'
Still VfB on top
They might be a man down but the visitors are still the team in control here. Are Cologne feeling the effects of their Thursday trip to Hungary?
61'
Substitution
60'
Substitution
60'
Substitution
60'
Substitution
57'
Yellow for Kilian
The Cologne defender is next into the book as he takes out Silas before he could burst into the box. The ensuing free-kick is cleared, though.
55'
Pfeiffer off!
A reckless challenge from Pfeiffer as he slides in high and late on Hübers. Referee Osmers has no hesitation in pulling out a straight red.
52'
Substitution
51'
Rough day for Chabot
Jeff Chabot is going to be feeling very sore later on. He's caught by Pfeiffer on the ankle and rips off his head bandages knowing that's his game run. He does hobble off under his own steam, but that's it for the centre-back today as he's replaced by Hübers.
48'
Silas in again
Once again it's a ball in behind the Cologne defence that does the job for Stuttgart. Again it's Silas on the end of it after blindsiding Hector. Again he can't beat Schwäbe from close range. Story of the game thus far.
46'
Back under way
Cologne make a change for the second half as well with Adamyan on for Dietz, who we didn't see much of in the first 45 minutes.
Kick-off!
Half-time
45'
+ 4
Substitution
45'
+ 3
Off the line!
First chance of any real note for Cologne and they so nearly take the lead. An in-swinging Hector corner is high and deep but Chabot meets it with his head at the far post. Müller is beaten as it goes back across him, but Mavropanos read the danger and got back on the line to clear.
45'
+ 1
Added time
Four minutes of it at the end of this half, which feels right after all the early stoppages.
40'
Busy Silas
Shots
1
4
Jonas Hector Silas Katompa Mvumpa
39'
Stuttgart should be ahead
xGoals
The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).
xGoals
0
0.02
1.15
0
Goals
38'
Silas again!
This is turning into a battle between Silas and Schwäbe. Führich with the ball over the top from his own half and the Stuttgart forward is away with nobody in sight, yet he can't beat the Cologne goalkeeper one-on-one, who has kept his side in this game.
31'
Hector!
The Cologne skipper wins a free-kick to the left of the penalty area. He leaves it to Duda, who shapes to cross high as bodies charge towards goal. But Hector stayed on the penalty spot as the space opened up. He's got a free shot with the low ball but misses it on his left foot - the angle was perhaps better suited to a right-footer - and is left with a wry smile.
© IMAGO/Ralf Treese/IMAGO/Treese
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
28'
Another Stuttgart chance
VfB go long again up to Silas. Führich crosses over behind him demanding the ball in space, but it comes a bit too late to get a shot away. He manages to play it back but the angle is now too tight for Silas and he puts it into the side netting.
22'
Silas!
The visitors then suddenly burst back to life. Silas is slipped through by Führich. He cuts inside Chabot and tries to pick out the far corner on his right foot, but Schwäbe reads it well and times his dive to make a good stop.
21'
Struggling for flow
Sosa is the next to go down holding a body part. Chabot uses the latest break to get more strapping on his head. Stuttgart's fast-paced start has stalled a bit with all the stoppages.
20'
Strong Stuttgart start
Goal attempts
0off target
0on target
2off target
2on target
17'
Substitution
15'
Olesen done?
The young attacker is hobbling down the touchline with the medical staff. He looks to be done for the day.
12'
Busy medics
The Cologne medical staff have been busy these opening minutes. Olesen is down at one end holding his ankle, while Chabot is now bleeding through his bandages at the other end of the pitch.
8'
Mavropanos again!
Still danger to the Cologne goal after a lengthy stop for Chabot to get strapped up. Ball comes back into the area to Mavropanos, who controls and shoots on the spin. Schwäbe again has to turn it over.
5'
Mavropanos!
This is a positive start from the visitors. They earn a corner on the left, which Sosa delivers. It's met by the head of Mavropanos and needs to be tipped over the bar by Schwäbe. The Greek defender and Chabot then need some treatment after colliding heads.
Kick-off!
1'
Endo!
The Stuttgart captain got that crucial goal right at the very end of the last meeting of these sides on the final day of last season. He now has the first of this game inside 60 seconds but drags wide from 18 yards.
Here come the teams...
No surprise to know that the 50,000 RheinEnergieStadion is full to the brim. European football will be returning here in just over a week. It's also hosting Viktoria-Bayern in the DFB Cup on Wednesday.
Captain's milestone
Cologne skipper Jonas Hector is making his 200th Bundesliga appearance today. It's also a landmark for Ellyes Skhiri, who features in Effzeh colours for the 100th time in all competitions.
2:03
Previous meeting: Stuttgart 2-1 Cologne
Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart:
© IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Sascha Walther/IMAGO/Eibner
Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo:
© IMAGO/Julia Rahn/IMAGO/Pressefoto Baumann
Stuttgart team news
As expected, it is just the one change for Stuttgart from last week’s 1-0 loss to Freiburg. It’s enforced given the news that Sasa Kalajdzic asked not to be considered while his future is cleared up. It sees summer signing Luca Pfeiffer come in for his first Stuttgart start, up alongside Silas.
Cologne team news
Steffen Baumgart opts for five changes from the side that won 3-0 at Fehervar on Thursday to secure the Billy Goats a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. Captain Jonas Hector comes back in at left-back for Kristian Pedersen, while Jeff Chabot partners Luca Kilian at centre-back instead of Timo Hübers. Florian Dietz continues up top, but he’s got three new men around him with Kingsley Schindler, Jan Thielmann and Mathias Olesen. Florian Kainz, Dejan Ljubicic and Linton Maina drop to the bench.
0:09
Watch: Stuttgart going in black today
Stuttgart subs
Bredlow, Millot, Perea, Stenzel, Karazor, Kuol, Klimowicz, Kastanaras
Stuttgart XI
Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Ito – Vagnoman, Endo (c), Ahamada, Sosa - Führich - Pfeiffer, Silas
Cologne subs
Horn, Pedersen, Hübers, Ljubicic, Duda, Kainz, Tigges, Adamyan, Maina
Cologne XI
Schwäbe - Schmitz, Kilian, Chabot, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Martel - Schindler, Olesen, Thielmann - Dietz
0:16
THE STAGE IS SET
2:03
WATCH: LAST TIME OUT: VFB 0-1 FREIBURG
2:03
WATCH: LAST TIME OUT: FRANKFURT 1-1 COLOGNE
NO SASA FOR STUTTGART
Just as the hosts have a decision to make over who starts up front, so to do the visitors. With the future of the division's tallest player, Sasa Kalajdzic up in the air, VfB coach Pellegrino Matarazzo must decide who to leads his line. In the absence of Tiago Tomas, who's down with tonsillitis, summer signing Luca Pfeiffer is the likely candidate.
TIGGES TO START?
Cologne overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit to advance to the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage at the expense of Hungary's Fehervar, 4-2 on aggregate in midweek and Baumgart has been rotating his side around their continental commitments. That should mean for further changes against VfB, with former Borussia Dortmund striker Steffen Tigges among the candidates to come back in, while Mark Uth remains on the sidelines.
WELCOME TO COLOGNE VS. STUTTGART!
Hello and a very warm welcome to our live coverage of Cologne vs. VfB Stuttgart. This one kicks-off at 3.30pm CEST, with team news dropping an hour before that so set your alarms for those.