Stuttgart 0-4 Borussia Dortmund: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Marco Reus Dismantles Hapless Hosts

Borussia Dortmund maintained their stunning start to the season by securing a breathtaking 4-0 win over a relegation-threatened VfB Stuttgart at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Saturday.

The visitors wasted no time in asserting their dominance and the opening goal of the game came just two minutes into the match. Jabob Bruun Larsen and Marco Reus were heavily involved in a counter-attack before Jadon Sancho sent a deflected effort past Ron-Robert Zieler.

Borussia Dortmunddoubled their lead just 20 minutes later with another devastating break. This time, Łukasz Piszczek found space down the right-hand side before firing the ball back towards the penalty spot where, following Paco Alcácer's dummy, Reus found the back of the net.

Alcácer then pounced on an awful mistake from World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard moments later to get on the scoresheet himself, eventually sending an outrageous chip beyond Stuttgart's helpless goalkeeper.

The hosts came out in the second half with a fighting spirit but they just didn't have the quality to make anything countm with Borussia Dortmund scoring the last goal of the game through Maxi Philipp - his first of the season.

Borussia Dortmund

Key Talking Point

On Saturday, Borussia Dortmund fans were treated to one of the best counter-attacking performances in recent memory, soaking up Stuttgart's pressure and then clinically taking their opponents to the cleaners.

The Black and Yellows had the game wrapped up inside 25 minutes. Manager Lucien Favre got his tactics spot on during the first half, and although Stuttgart came out of the block well after the break, Borussia Dortmund were never at risk of missing out on all three points.

Player Ratings

Bürki (8) Piszczek (8) Diallo (8) Zagadou (7) Hakimi (7) Witsel (8) Delaney (7) Sancho (8) Reus (9*) Bruun Larsen (8) Alcácer (8).

Substitutes: Philipp (7) Pulisic (7) Götze (N/A).

Star Man

What more needs to be said about Marco Reus?

For years, the Germany international has been flirting around the edges of being called a world class player, largely with Reus' persistent injury problems proving to be the only thing which has held him back.

This season, however, Reus has played more first team minutes than any other player for Borussia Dortmund and his impact is showing on the pitch.

Reus has now scored in every single Bundesliga game this season, racking up an outstanding goalscoring tally, as well as notching a few assists along the way.

Worst Player

There just isn't a single Borussia Dortmund player who deserves to be put into this section, but if we have to be incredibly cynical, let's focus our attention to defender Dan-Axel Zagadou.

The young Frenchman didn't put a foot wrong at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, but his performance offered a clear indication as to why Zagadou is the club's fourth choice centre back.

VfB Stuttgart

Player Ratings

Zieler (5) Maffeo (6) Pavard (4) Baumgartl (6) Insua (5) Ascacibar (6) Castro (5) Gentner (4) González (5) Gómez (4) Thommy (5).

Matthias Hangst/GettyImages

Substitutes: Badstuber (5) Akolo (6) Beck (5).

Looking Ahead

Borussia Dortmund will now prepare for their Champions League match against Atlético Madrid before returning to Bundesliga actions against Hertha BSC, while VfB Stuttgart make the short trip to TSG Hoffenheim next weekend.