Leipzig beat Stuttgart to narrow gap on top six

VfB Stuttgart 0-2 RB Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Silva pen. 11', 0-2 Nkunku 70' (assist: Henrichs)

The hosts were without a win or a goal in three league outings and saw their early resilience broken when Silva converted from the penalty spot after Nkunku cross caught Konstantinos Mavropanos’ arm. After breaking the deadlock, Leipzig failed to produce another shot on goal in the first half and were lucky to preserve their lead with Stuttgart demonstrating a greater sense of urgency. Hiroki Ito and Wataru Endo mustered up Die Schwaben’s most meaningful efforts before the break, but neither got the better of Peter Gulacsi.

Leipzig looked to put themselves on the front foot after the restart, but it was Stuttgart who maintained their momentum as Gulacsi was forced into a string of difficult saves. Sasa Kalajdzic and Waldemar Anton tested his reflexes, while Orel Mangala had the Hungarian at full stretch, but when the host's powerplay failed to produce an equaliser, the pendulum swung back in Leipzig’s favour. Nkunku broke the offside trap before slotting home his ninth goal of the season and Hugo Novoa would have applied the finishing touches to an impressive victory were in not for a late offside flag. Nevertheless, it did little to blemish Leipzig's first away win of the campaign.

Watch: Gulacsi on Silva's recent form

• Stuttgart are currently on a run of 387 minutes without a goal in the Bundesliga.
• Stuttgart have picked up just a single point in nine Bundesliga meetings with Leipzig (D1, L8).
• Matarazzo took charge of his 75th competitive match as Stuttgart head coach (W27, D18, L30).
• Andre Silva has scored five goals in five starts since Domenico Tedesco took charge as Leipzig head coach.
• The Portuguese has converted all 11 penalties he’s taken in the Bundesliga.
• Gulacsi set a new personal best by making 10 saves as he collected his fourth clean sheet of the season.

Stuttgart: Müller - Mavropanos (Ahamada 81'), Anton, Ito - Coulibaly (Massimo 76'), Endo (c), Mangala, Nartey - Tibidi (Klimowicz 75'), Führich (Egloff 81') - Kalajdzic
Unused subs: Bredlow, Beyaz, Förster, Stenzel, Karazor
Out: Faghir (match fitness), Marmoush (Africa Cup of Nations), Sankoh (knee), Sosa (thigh), Silas (head), Thommy (match fitness)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol - Klostermann, Adams, Kampl (Olmo 88'), Angelino - Nkunku (Novoa 77'), Poulsen (Henrichs 65') - Silva
Unused subs: Tschauner, Martinez, Bonnah, Raebiger, Szoboszlai, Wosz
Out: Forsberg (thigh), Haidara (Africa Cup of Nations), Halstenberg (thigh), Moriba (Africa Cup of Nations), Mukiele (not included)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco