First game for new coaches
Kovač debut fails: Bitter BVB bankruptcy against Stuttgart
Updated on 08/08/2025 – 5:42 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
The new trainer’s debut is unhappy. Because the BVB is also against VfB itself. A heavy mistake begins.
Niko Kovač still has a lot of work ahead of Borussia Dortmund-that must be the knowledge of the new BVB trainer after Saturday afternoon. Because Dortmund not only lost 1: 2 (0: 0) against VfB Stuttgart at the debut of the Croatian on the 21st Bundesliga matchday, the narrow result also fails over many shortcomings in the game of black and yellow. After three competitive games without defeat under interim coach Mike Tullberg, Dortmund once again conceded a bankruptcy.
Waldemar Anton with an own goal against his ex-club (50th) and Jeff Chabot (61st) scored for the guests against a temporarily unsettled BVB, Julian Brandt (81st) only scored the connecting goal. Dortmunds Julian Rerson (90th) saw the yellow-red card in a heated final phase.
It was almost 18 years ago that a Dortmund coach did not win his first game: In March 2007, Thomas Doll won a 0-0 against 1. FC Nürnberg as BVB coach. For Kovač, the Dortmund stadium remains a difficult patch in a new role – as a coach, he has not yet won a game there.
Kovač had given his players the clear order to “win this game”. The new trainer relied on a lot of experience: Pascal Groß and Marcel Sabitzer should provide control in the midfield center, Brandt should use the fast outside Karim Adeyemi and Jamie Gitten.
BVB usually had the ball, but it didn’t go forward quickly. At the moderate pace, Stuttgart usually had no problems to intercept the Dortmund attacks. Kovač died deeply when a goal from Chabot (18th) did not count due to an offside position.
VfB was dangerous and he benefited from an dropout Anton with his greatest chance. The former Stuttgart, prudent with whistles with whistles from the guest fans, played a back pass that Deniz caught too short. The national striker took too much time on the way to the Dortmund goal, Emre Can Hole and was celebrated by the fans for this successful rescue operation (37th).
The BVB came out of the break, Adeyemi hurried on the right, but did not find a buyer with his cross. Three minutes later, Adeyemi was free again, his shot flew just over (49th).
VfB successfully defended himself under the eyes of national coach Julian Nagelsmann. Anton grabs a cross from Chris Führich into his own goal. When the BVB was still trying to recover, Chabot struck massively after a corner.
With luck and skill, Alexander Nübel prevented the fast Dortmund connecting goal when he steered a deflected shot from Gittens to the crossbar (68.). A little later, Kovač reacted with the substitution of Maximilian Beier. The national striker should provide more swing at his pace.
However, because VfB cleverly defended, there were hardly any rooms for Dortmund high -speed attacks. Instead, the BVB had to continue to search for a gap – and found it. But it was no longer enough for the equalization.