VfB Stuttgart suffered a 2-0 loss at promoted Heidenheim on Sunday, a second consecutive league defeat that ended their good start to the season and saw them drop seven points off the pace.
Jan Schoeppner headed in the opener in the 70th minute from a Heidenheim corner after Stuttgart had missed a 57th-minute penalty with Silas sending his spot kick over the bar.
The visitors went agonisingly close in stoppage time with a double chance and a cross that hit the woodwork but Tim Kleindienst dealt the killer blow with a 40-metre lob over the Stuttgart keeper.
⏹ Spielende. Der VfB kann seine Torchancen nicht nutzen und unterliegt Heidenheim mit 0:2. Jan Schöppner (70‘) und Tim Kleindienst (90‘ +4) treffen für die Hausherren. Zuvor verpasst #Silas die Führung vom Elfmeterpunkt (57').
— VfB Stuttgart (@VfB) November 5, 2023
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Stuttgart, who have lost both league matches since top striker Serhou Guirassy suffered an injury two weeks ago, are third in the Bundesliga on 21 points, with leaders Bayer Leverkusen on 28.
Stuttgart won seven of their opening eight league matches with Guirassy scoring 14 times but he will be sidelined for some time with a hamstring injury he picked up in their 3-0 win over Union Berlin on October 21.
Champions Bayern Munich are on 26 points in second place following their 4-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund, who remain fourth, also on 21.