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• Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Stuttgart: Wasteful hosts lose ground in title race

  Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to close the gap at the Bundesliga summit after a wasteful display saw them draw 0-0 with Stuttgart.

  Leverkusen remain third in the standings, four points behind RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, who play Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin respectively on Saturday.

  Xabi Alonso's side dominated proceedings from the first whistle, registering 10 attempts in the first half, though only three were on Alexander Nubel's goal. 

  They came closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the break when Edmond Tapsoba rattled the crossbar with a thumping header. 

  Leverkusen struck the woodwork again shortly after the restart, this time through Victor Boniface, as the Stuttgart net continued to live a charmed life at the BayArena. 

  Boniface was then denied by a miraculous save by Nubel in the 73rd minute, before the visiting goalkeeper denied Florian Wirtz to seal a share of the spoils for Stuttgart. 

  Data Debrief: All bark, no bite

  Leverkusen lacked the attacking spark that helped them romp to the Bundesliga title, and this result could prove pivotal in their attempts of reclaiming their league crown. 

  The goalless draw saw the hosts underperform their expected goals (xG) value by 2.19. Only in a 0-0 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach last season have they underperformed their xG value more in a league game under Alonso (3.0). 

  Boniface was arguably the biggest culprit for wasting those golden opportunities. He had four shots, with two of those on target, while he also missed three big chances. 

• Lloris demands improvements as he seeks to complete LAFC 'mission'

  Los Angeles FC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has demanded more from his team-mates if they are to replicate their U.S. Open Cup triumph in the MLS playoffs.

  LAFC edged the first game of their best-of-three series against the Vancouver Whitecaps, with Denis Bouanga and Cristian Olivera on target for Steve Cherundolo’s side.

  But Lloris, who joined the Black and Gold from Tottenham almost a year ago, was not impressed by his side’s showing and insists they must improve when they travel to BC Place.

  "The performance is not enough, but we got the result so that's the most important thing," Lloris said.

  "I think we need to increase our level if we want to have a mission. A win is a win, so that's positive."

  "If we want to have a mission in this MLS Cup [playoffs], we need to do even better. "But I believe. We can do it.

  "We need to realise that a game like tonight, we didn't feel safe until the end. So we have to do better."

  Defender Aaron Long echoed Lloris’ thoughts, saying: “It’s definitely a job's-not-done mentality. We have one more game, potentially two more games.

  "But I think a lot of us weren't happy giving up that goal late as well.”

  “We want to finish that in a professional manner and end the game 2-0, even if it doesn't carry over on aggregate. 

  "At least as a defender, that subdued me a tiny bit. But we'll look at the film again, a great win at home, and on to the next one.”

  For Vanni Sartini, meanwhile, he acknowledged that his side were the better team in Game 1, but said that even playing well against LAFC, who topped the Western Conference in the regular season, would not be good enough.

  But knowing they must win the game to keep their playoff campaign rolling, Sartini wants that little bit extra from his players, something he hopes will come from the home supporters inside BC Place.

  “The main takeaway from the game is that playing well is probably not enough against them. We need to play well like we did in the last game, but we also need to have a little bit extra,” Sartini said.

  “That can be the extra performance of individuals or even the extra courage that we need to have when we are attacking. I think we need this kind of extra.

  “Hopefully, playing at home is going to help us win the game on Sunday.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld

  Gauld scored Vancouver’s only goal on Sunday after netting a hat-trick in the Wild Card Round against Portland Timbers in midweek.

  The Scot is the first player in the Whitecaps’ MLS history to score in consecutive playoff matches.

  LAFC - Denis Bouanga

  Bouanga has scored in all three of his postseason meetings with the Whitecaps, the sixth player in MLS history to score in three straight playoff games against a single opponent.

  No player in league history has scored in four straight postseason games against a single team, though the Gabon international will have his eyes set on making history this time around.

  MATCH PREDICTION: LAFC WIN

  LAFC have won three of their last four away matches against Vancouver in all competitions (D1), including a 1-0 win in last season’s playoffs and a 2-1 win in October in the league. LAFC had won only one of their first five road matches against Vancouver (L4).

  They have also won seven straight matches in all competitions dating back to winning the US Open Cup Final in late September. LAFC has won 26 of their last 36 matches in all competitions (D5 L5) dating back to late April after opening the season with four wins in 11 games (D3 L4).

  The Whitecaps, meanwhile, will be looking to return to winning ways at home. They have lost three straight home matches in all competitions for the first time since July 2019. Since joining MLS in 2011, Vancouver have never suffered four straight home defeats in all competitions.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Vancouver Whitecaps – 28.4%

  Draw – 24.4%

  LAFC – 47.2%

• Kobel ruled out of Leipzig clash, but Sahin confident of Dortmund revival

  Nuri Sahin confirmed that Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel will miss their upcoming Bundesliga fixture with RB Leipzig this weekend. 

  Kobel, who has kept four clean sheets in 13 appearances in all competitions this season, sustained a hip injury in Tuesday's DFB Pokal defeat to Wolfsburg. 

  The Switzerland international becomes the latest name to be sidelined for Dortmund, who have failed to win their last three games in all competitions. 

  Sahin is already without Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville, Gio Reyna, Kjell Watjen, Niklas Sule, Julian Ryerson, and Yan Couto, among others.

  "Clearly it is a difficult situation with the defeats and the Cup exit, a competition we had high expectations for," Sahin told a press conference.

  "The injury list with this squad is extremely bitter. With Greg (Kobel) out now we have 10 players out.

  "Ten players injured. That's something I have not experienced before. How do we get out of it? We won't hide behind excuses. The lads are well prepared."

  Dortmund come into the encounter after earning 13 points from their first eight games, their worst start to a Bundesliga season since 2014-15. 

  Sahin's struggles have been away from home in the league this term, failing to win any of their five games while also conceding 10 goals during those matches.

  But they have won each of their last eight home games in all competitions, their longest run since between November 2022 and May 2023 (11).

  Dortmund are the only team yet to drop a point at home in the Bundesliga this season (four home wins) and have collected 12 of their 13 points at the Westfalenstadion. 

  And Sahin is confident that their run on home soil will help them stop their current losing streak. 

  "We are well prepared and we play at home. And at home it is difficult to beat us," Sahin said.

  "I know my role and the players know their roles. We have to go through this. We have to work our way out of this situation."

  "We need the stadium tomorrow more than ever. I'm sure the stadium will have a feel for our situation. We want to continue our home streak."

  However, Dortmund have lost six of their last seven competitive games against RB Leipzig, with their only win coming in a 2-1 victory in the 2022-23 campaign. 

  They had previously gone on an eight-match unbeaten run against Die Roten Bullen in all competitions (W6, D2).