- BERLIN — VfB
Stuttgart lifted the German Cup for the fourth time after defeating third-tier
champions Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the final here on Saturday.
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- Despite Bielefeld's remarkable run to the final, which
included knocking out four Bundesliga sides, Stuttgart showed its top-flight
quality when it mattered most.
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- The underdogs almost took the lead after just 12 minutes
when Noah Sarenren Bazee hit the crossbar from close range, reports Xinhua.
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- Stuttgart responded ruthlessly, as Nick Woltemade opened the
scoring three minutes later with a composed finish following a clever pass from
Angelo Stiller.
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- Soon after, a defensive mix-up allowed Deniz Undav to burst
through and unselfishly set up Enzo Millot to make it 2-0.
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- When Undav converted Stiller's second assist of the night to
make it 3-0 before halftime, the result seemed beyond doubt.
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- Millot grabbed his second midway through the second half,
pouncing on a misplaced pass from Louis Oppie to curl in a fourth.
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- But Bielefeld refused to go down without a fight. Substitute
Julian Kania reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute with a neat finish, and
Josha Vagnoman's own goal three minutes later gave Bielefeld hope of an
unlikely comeback.
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- However, goalkeeper Alexander Nubel's late save denied Joel
Felix a third goal, and Stuttgart held firm to secure victory.
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- "It's hard to put into words. I'm absolutely overjoyed
with this win," said Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness.
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- "In a game like this, anything can happen. In the end,
we had to dig deep once more. Huge credit to my players and to Bielefeld, a
team that simply never gives up. It's been a long time since Stuttgart won a
trophy, which makes this moment more special."
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- Stuttgart will compete in next season's UEFA Europa League.
For Bielefeld, the final capped a memorable season which included promotion and
a historic Cup run.
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- "The opponent punished our mistakes mercilessly within
ten minutes. Still, I'm incredibly proud of my team. Even though the
disappointment prevails right now, we have had a fantastic Cup run and a great
season," said Arminia Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat.
