SC Paderborn 07vs
VfB StuttgartSC Paderborn 07 had the ball more often than not on Saturday, fired 23 shots, and still lost without scoring. That's the story of this one. VfB Stuttgart came to Home Deluxe Arena knowing exactly how they wanted to win — stay organized, pick their moments, and let Angelo Stiller do his thing — and they executed it well enough to never really look troubled.
Our pre-match read made Stuttgart the favorite at 58%, and the result bore that out cleanly.
Chabot Does the Damage Early
The opener came in the 25th minute and it was straightforward in the best way: Stiller delivered, Jeff Chabot got his head to it, and the ball was in the net. A center back scoring from a set piece is rarely glamorous, but it's effective, and it gave Stuttgart exactly the cushion they wanted.
Paderborn kept pressing — 51.7% possession across the full 90 says they weren't sitting back — but the conversion numbers tell the real story. Twenty-three shots, only five on target. Stuttgart's goalkeeper was asked to make just three saves all night. El chispudo de Stiller en la creación, always threading passes into dangerous spots, made Stuttgart look more threatening despite seeing less of the ball.
Marvin Pieringer picked up a yellow card right at the stroke of halftime, which did Paderborn no favors heading into the break already a goal down.
Führich Kills It Late
For stretches of the second half, Paderborn had enough of the ball to make you wonder if they'd find a way back in. They didn't. Stuttgart defended without drama and waited for their chance. It came in the 83rd minute: Stiller again with the assist, Chris Führich with the finish. That was the match.
Führich's goal was the kind that settles everything. A two-goal lead with seven minutes left against a side that couldn't convert 23 shots into even one goal — the result was done.
The final numbers weren't flattering for the hosts. Paderborn had the territory and the volume; Stuttgart had the quality when it counted. Eight shots on target to Paderborn's five, despite taking fewer shots overall. That gap between activity and threat is what cost Paderborn.
What It Means
Stuttgart came in on the back of a rough run — one win in their last five before this — so this will feel like a reset. A clean sheet, a two-goal margin, and Stiller looking like the creative hub this team needs him to be. The question now is whether they can string results together, because the form table going into this game was patchy on both sides.
For Paderborn, this one will sting. Dominating possession and losing by two is a frustrating outcome, and their shot conversion problem isn't going away on its own. Twenty-three attempts, five on target, zero goals. Qué desperdicio — that's a real problem to carry into the next stretch of the season.
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