Stuttgart fans had barely got to their seats when Roberto Di Matteo’s side took the lead. Tranquillo Barnetta’s costless-kick was bundled home by Cameroon striker Choupo-Moting just 60 seconds in.
The hosts responded, Sercan Sararer was looking lively but his shot flew over. It did not take long for Schalke to double their advantage. There was barely 10 minutes on the clock but Meyer’s deft header following poor defending from Antonio Rüdiger.
Sararer again tried to get his side back into the match as he forced a good save from Ralf Fährmann. Things got even worse for the Swabians as the same combination for the first goal exposed them again. Barnetta’s corner was met by a towering header from Choupo-Moting to give the Königsblauen a three-goal cushion after 20 minutes.
A frustrated Stevens then took off midfielder Moritz Leitner and brought on defender Daniel Schwaab to try and stem the defensive collapse. Klass-Jan Huntelaar then had two chances in quick succession from corners just before the break. The first being when the Dutchman pounced on a flick-on but Sven Ulreich produced a brilliant save to deny him, the striker then saw his header narrowly go over.
After half-time, the home side applied some early pressure, Christian Gentner went close from a corner. Spanish substitute Oriol Romeu then went close from distance but the visitors nearly made it four swiftly after only for Ulreich to superbly keep out Barnetta’s close-range effort.
They did extend the lead just a minute later, Choupo-Moting again showing his aerial prowess with an accurate header to complete his hat-trick. Fährmann then had to be alert to save well from Martin Harnik on not one but two occasions. Choupo-Moting was substituted late on to raucous applause from the travelling fans while VfB finished with 10-men as Rüdiger left the pitch injured.