Borussia Dortmund fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Stuttgart on Saturday in Niko Kovac's first game at the helm, slipping further away from the Bundesliga's top four.

Kovac, a Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich in 2018-19, took the reins last week, after a four-game losing run in all competitions led to the dismissal of Nuri Sahin.

Stuttgart had a familiar face to thank when they took the lead in the 50th minute, as defender Waldemar Anton – who left them for Dortmund last year – turned a cutback into his own goal.

Jeff Chabot's far-post header increased Stuttgart's lead just after the hour, though they had to absorb plenty of pressure as Dortmund dominated possession in the second half.

The hosts cut the deficit with Julian Brandt's low drive from a tight angle in the 81st minute, but their efforts to find an equaliser were derailed when defender Julian Ryerson was sent off for two bookable offences a minute from time.

Last season's Champions League finalists Dortmund, who face Sporting in a European play-off next, are 11th in the table with 29 points, now six behind fourth-placed Stuttgart.

Data Debrief: No housewarming for Kovac

After previously enjoying a run of eight straight home wins, Dortmund are now winless in their last five Bundesliga home games (three draws, two defeats).

It is their worst such run on home soil since autumn 2006 under Bert van Marwijk (also five). They went on to finish ninth in the Bundesliga that season.

Stuttgart, meanwhile, have won five straight matches against Dortmund, as many victories as they recorded in their previous 29 competitive games against them.

It is the first time Stuttgart have achieved that feat since the Bundesliga was founded in 1963, as well as Dortmund's longest ongoing losing streak against a current top-flight club.