VfB midfielder Atakan Karazor’s perfectly weighted ball found the in-form Serhou Guirassy who fired the home side in front after 19 minutes.
After the break, Chris Führich cut inside from the left flank and curled the ball past the helpless Frederik Rønnow, making it 2-0 with 65 minutes on the clock.
Four minutes later, András Schäfer was dismissed by the referee for a high boot on VfB’s Josha Vagnoman which all but resigned the visitors to leave Stuttgart empty handed.
VfB’s seventh Bundesliga game and near stellar form compared with their competition means they are incredibly well-placed to achieve Champions League qualification next season.
Union Berlin’s defeat at the hands of Stuttgart means they are now winless in three matches, but still have a healthy gap of eight points between themselves and 1.FC Köln in 16th.
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The Stuttgart project is exciting
Perhaps only beaten by Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten season, Sebastian Hoeneß and Stuttgart are the other candidate for surprise package of the season.
VfB were fighting relegation in the last two seasons, but are now in contention to qualify for the Champions League and even push Bayern for second place, Hoeneß’ impact on the club is immense.
The news that VfB have extended his contract until the summer of 2027, as well as Hoeneß reiterating his desire to stay at Die Schwaben, is indicative of a club heading in the right direction.
Stuttgart lost three key players in the summer, in the form of Wataru Endo, Borna Sosa and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The goalkeeper position was also identified as a problem area, so Alexander Nübel was brought in.
Combined with summer arrivals like Angelo Stiller, who has accompanied Hoeneß to three different clubs, Stuttgart have a squad filled with quality.
Recruitment has improved massively under Sporting Director Fabian Wohlgemuth, who alongside Hoeneß have established a club that is undoubtedly on the up.
Players like Führich, Enzo Millot, Mittelstädt, Karazor, Waldemar Anton and of course, Guirassy are all playing the best football of their careers.
Another example of a much-improved player is Pascal Stenzel at right-back. Stenzel is clearly playing with confidence and took a couple of shots at goal against Union, having signed a new contract fairly recently.
With the prospect of Champions League football on the horizon and having already kept him around in two transfer windows this season, Guirassy may be inclined to stay on this journey with Stuttgart, having contributed so much already.
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Union’s struggles on the road continue
A problem that existed under legendary Head Coach Urs Fischer has also followed Nenad Bjelica, in that Union have struggled massively away from home in the Bundesliga this season.
Generally results have improved under Union’s new Head Coach, but their inability to pick-up points on the road has resulted in Union struggling to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three.
Die Eisernen’s last away win came against bottom of the league SV Darmstadt, where they won 4-1 in just the second game of the season.
Union’s loss in the Neckarstadion was the twelfth away game of the season without a win, despite a decent enough performance.
It’s clear that Union pick-up more points in front of their adoring home fans at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, but their away form will be a concern for Bjelica.
Barring a monumental collapse in the last nine games of the season, Union should be able to retain their Bundesliga status at the expense of Köln, 1.FSV Mainz 05, and Darmstadt.
Bjelica has done an admirable job in difficult circumstances since arriving in the summer, but solving their troubles on the road is a task that may have to wait until next season to properly address.
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VfB continue their remarkable surge to a top-four place in the Bundesliga
It is simply incredible to think VfB are nine points clear of Dortmund in fourth, and are increasingly likely to finish at least third in the Bundesliga.
Meaning, RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund could miss out on Champions League qualification. Stuttgart are on a run of seven unbeaten matches and the most in-form of the three.
Dortmund and Leipzig have won just two and three of their last five matches, as both sides continue to blow hot and cold this season.
Stuttgart started the Rückrunde in worrying fashion as they lost two matches in a row, but since then they have gone on to win six of their seven last matches, dropping just two points in the process.
Having won at the earliest possible point of the weekend, VfB have set the standard and the pressure is on Dortmund and Leipzig to repeat the trick.
Qualification is not yet secured and there are still some difficult obstacles to overcome sooner rather than later.
Hoeneß’ side have two tricky tests ahead in the form of TSG Hoffenheim and 1.FC Heidenheim, having lost both of their previous fixtures against them.
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Union were made to rue their missed chances
For the second game in a row, Union failed to find the back of the net. Considering their last two games were against Dortmund and Stuttgart, it may be mistaken that they just could not create chances.
However, that is not true. As a matter of fact, Union finished the game at Stuttgart with a slightly higher xG than their opponents (1.05 to 1.02).
This will likely be of no comfort to Union’s Bjelica, as the difference between the two sides’ ability to finish is epitomised by the statistics in comparison with the scoreline.
Union lost two forwards in January, as Sheraldo Becker departed for Real Sociedad and the surprise departure of cult hero Kevin Behrens to VfL Wolfsburg.
Die Eisernen reacted to the sales with the signing of Yorbe Vertessen from PSV, which took a while to get over the line.
The Belgian looks like he could be a good signing for Union, but he has not been a guaranteed starter under Bjelica, making just five appearances and assisting one goal.
Mikkel Kaufmann and Benedict Hollerbach were brought in last summer, but neither have been able to kick-on in the capital and cement a starting berth.
Wing-back Robin Gosens is the club’s highest scoring player with six goals, but has not been on the scoresheet since Gameweek 18, proof that Union simply do not have an out-and-out goal threat this season.