Maximilian Beier strike sees Borussia Dortmund beat VfB Stuttgart to go top
Maximilian Beier converted a Jobe Bellingham cross to give Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win at VfB Stuttgart, moving the visitors top of the Bundesliga table ahead of the international break.
VfB Stuttgart 0-1 Borussia DortmundGoals: 0-1 Beier 70' (assist: Bellingham)
With Freiburg dropping points earlier in the day, Dortmund knew that a win would see them move top of the table ahead of the international break. VfB Stuttgart, meanwhile, were keen not to lose further ground on the teams hoping to challenge for Europe, having already lost two out of three so far this season.
Stuttgart captain Deniz Undav came back into the starting XI for the hosts in one of two changes, and for Dortmund, last weekend's hero Felix Nmecha was one of two changes.
Watch: Nmecha's stunning strike against Paderborn
Evenly poised opening period
Dortmund almost broke through inside four minutes when Julian Ryerson's cross found Beier unmarked in the centre, but his header flew well wide of the target from close range.
Stuttgart responded through Maximilian Mittelstädt, who volleyed off target after a corner landed at his feet before a high press saw Ermedin Demirović test Gregor Kobel.
Dortmund then came close through two corners, but neither Nico Schlotterbeck nor Serhou Guirassy could hit the target.
Another Stuttgart high press then saw Undav presented with a chance, but Kobel denied him from the angle. Bilal El Khannouss then went closest for the hosts, heading narrowly wide from a Mittelstädt cross as neither side could find a breakthrough before the interval.
Beier settles a tight contest
Shortly after the interval, Ethan Nwaneri had the ball in the net, converting clinically from near the penalty spot, but he was narrowly offside. Niko Kovač then introduced Jobe Bellingham and Konstantinos Karetsas in a double change, with the former finding space on the right just a few minutes later before firing a low delivery across the box, which Beier poked home to make it 1-0. Karetsas then fired narrowly wide just a couple of minutes later when Dortmund broke swiftly through Nmecha.
Stuttgart pushed for an equaliser as the game progressed, with Grischa Prömel, Josha Vagnoman, El Khannouss and Leo Sauer all threatening the Dortmund goal, but to no avail as the visitors held out for the win that sees them go top of the table.
Man of the Match: Maximilian Beier
Beier scored the decisive goal in the 70th minute, poking home from close range after Bellingham's low cross, and also registered a team-high three shots on the night. His finish proved enough to earn Dortmund all three points, and he was voted Man of the Match with 49 per cent of the vote.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Stuttgart 0.87 - Dortmund 1.72
Fastest player: Joane Gadou (Dortmund), 36.03 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0:1 by Maximilian Beier (Dortmund), 62 per cent
Most pressed player: Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), 11 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), +3.43
Fantasy Heroes: Maximilian Mittelstädt (Stuttgart, 239 Points), Gregor Kobel (Dortmund, 231 Points), Maximilian Beier (Dortmund, 213 Points)
