Stumbling goal and final spurt – Stuttgart is in the semi-finals

DFB Cup

Stumbling goal and final spurt: Stuttgart is in the semi-finals

VfB has had a hard time at Holstein Kiel for a long time. In the end, a strange hit made the decision. The focus is on a DFB star.

With a lot of effort, VfB Stuttgart reached the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. The Swabians won 3-0 (0-0) at second division Holstein Kiel on Wednesday evening thanks to two goals in the late final phase and are now in the last four of the competition.

National player Deniz Undav (56th) scored the opening goal for the guests with a strange stumble goal in the hustle and bustle of the penalty area, but they struggled for a long time against the defensive Kiel team. Chris Führich (89th) and Atakan Karazor (90th + 2) made the final score a little too high.

Stuttgart has reached at least the semi-finals three times in the past four years. Last season, the Stuttgart team achieved their fourth cup triumph – and in 2026 they are still aiming for the final on May 23rd in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

The cup terror from Kiel, on the other hand, failed to eliminate the third Bundesliga team this season. Coach Marcel Rapp’s team had fought its way into the quarter-finals over VfL Wolfsburg and Hamburger SV and now wanted to trip up the favorites in front of their own fans. But that didn’t work despite a promising initial phase.

VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß made two changes compared to the 1-0 win against SC Freiburg and rotated significantly less than the Kiel team, who filled five positions after the annoying 1-2 defeat against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. The guests dominated the opening minutes, but the Kiel team became compelling, appearing dangerous in front of keeper Alexander Nübel’s goal several times during counterattacks by Adrián Kaprálik (8th, 15th) and Andu Kelati (11th).

Stuttgart slowed down Kiel’s momentum with a lot of possession and brought Undav (25th) into position for a header for the first time. The guests then continued to press the Holstein goal, relying on a quick, short passing game. However, the pressure phase quickly subsided and there was no penetration until the half-time whistle.

Stuttgart remained patient at the start of the second half – and was rewarded with a free kick. The Bundesliga club then tried to keep the outsider away from their own goal. Eldin Jakupovic had the best opportunity to equalize after a mistake in building up the game (80′), before Führich made the decision after a counterattack and Karazor fell.