In Neckarpark all hell broke loose. There has never been an evening like this in the middle of the week in Stuttgart. Spring festival on the Wasen, Helene Fischer concert, handball Bundesliga – and of course the DFB Cup semifinals. Everything in a small space, everything at the same time. Right in the middle: the Frankfurt Eintracht.
In the core Bundesliga business, coach Oliver Glasner’s team has gradually slipped down to ninth place in the table over the past few weeks. But in the German Football Association (DFB) Cup, the team once again surpassed themselves. Of course, the fans and a little bit the players sang the proven classic in the end. “Berlin, Berlin, we are driving to Berlin.”
Eintracht will be on their way to the capital at the beginning of June in order to complete their intended grab for the cup against final opponents RB Leipzig on June 3rd. This is possible because the team defeated VfB Stuttgart 3-2 in the semifinals on Wednesday. While pop singer Helene Fischer performed her biggest hit “Atemlos” just a few hundred meters away, it was the Frankfurt soccer players who, in their own way, left their supporters speechless, because after a weaker first half Glasner’s team improved enormously and shot again the deficit, for which VfB professional Tiago Barreiros de Melo Tomas was responsible in the 19th minute, the decisive goals by Evan Ndicka (51st), Daichi Kamada (55th) and Randal Kolo Muani (77th).
The second Stuttgart goal by Serhou Guirassy had no consequences (83′). “We’re really happy,” said coach Glasner, who praised his team for their “energy performance” in the second half. “To come back like this after being behind at half-time: huge compliments to the boys.”
Tomas doesn’t give Trapp a chance
Before things really got going in this knockout game, the Stuttgart team showed off their creative side. The choreography of the same name stretched across the entire Cannstatt curve. Hesse’s answer: In the Frankfurt block, the ugly face of football once again showed itself. Supposed fans lit Bengalos and rockets. The result: the game started in the fog, and when the veil had gradually lifted, Mario Götze saw a yellow card. The national player was warned early on (4th), and colleague Djibril Sow also saw a yellow card for a foul (5th).
The Eintracht professionals had a lot to do to restrict the industrious and committed Swabians in their urge to move. VfB realized that Eintracht could only be defeated on their own right side. And indeed: in the 19th minute, Stuttgart deservedly took a 1-0 lead. Tomas was the last link in a well-functioning chain of three that started with Waldemar Anton. It was then Josha Vagnoman who freed the Portuguese. Tomas stopped the ball, put it in front of himself – and pulled away. Flat in the lower right corner of the Frankfurt goal, in which keeper Kevin Trapp had no chance to prevent the deficit.
It was expected that left-back Ndicka would return to the starting XI in time for the most important Eintracht game in May, as would striker Kolo Muani. The fast Frenchman immediately tried to free himself again and again and to use the space available to him. Alone: At first there was no danger. The best action from Frankfurt came from Sebastian Rode, who tried a flick from a good position in the 32nd minute, but clearly missed his target.
VfB did a lot better than Eintracht in the first part of the game. The agile Silas was about to increase to 2:0, but Trapp stood in his way (35th). Chances of unity? in short supply. Christopher Lenz tried a mixture of shots and crosses (40′), Kamada took a volley from the inside to put Fabian Bredlow under pressure. But the VfB goalie hardly needed to stretch (44′).
Trembling to the end
In the second half of the game it was again Kamada who had a good chance to score. But again the Japanese lacked power and fortune (47th). Aurelio Buta, who came on for captain Rode, should also provide more power. It became obvious in the 51st minute that Kolo Muani’s return was good for Glasner’s team. The Frenchman put on Ndicka and his compatriot thanked him with a well-aimed shot at luck. 1:1 – Eintracht was back in the running for the trip to Berlin.
And only a short time later, the hope was much greater to really make it to the Olympic Stadium for the cup final again, like last time in 2018. Kamada took a shot at the edge of the penalty area and shot in to give Frankfurt a 2-1 lead (55′). When Kolo Muani was then fouled in the penalty area and didn’t miss the chance to make it 3-1 from eleven meters, Frankfurt’s happiness seemed perfect (77th). But when substitute Enzo Millot scored the second Stuttgart goal (83rd), it got louder again in the sold-out arena with 47,500 spectators.
In the end, however, it was the clapping and singing Frankfurters who were able to celebrate the well-deserved trophy – also because VfB was not awarded a penalty after a supposed handball in the last minute of added time after a long video study. An extremely tight decision, but Eintracht didn’t want to dwell on it for too long.