Drama in the penalty shootout
Outsiders on the ground: Wolfsburg is in the cup final
April 5, 2026 – 7:19 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The sensation in the women’s DFB Cup does not materialize. Carl Zeiss Jena missed the final. The Thuringians had the favorites on the verge of defeat.
The women of FC Carl Zeiss Jena missed the final of the DFB Cup in a thriller. Florian Kästner’s team lost 4:5 on penalties against favorites VfL Wolfsburg on Easter Sunday. After 120 minutes the score was 0-0.
The bottom of the Bundesliga table delivered a thrilling duel to the eleven-time cup winners from Lower Saxony in front of their home crowd. Goalkeeper Jasmin Janning in particular drove the Wolfsburg team to despair with her saves.
Jena was already on the winning track in the penalty shootout. Janning fended off Linneth Beerensteyn’s attempt. All other shooters put the ball in the goal. Then Felicia Sträßer got the chance to shoot Jena into the final. But the 18-year-old was denied by DFB goalkeeper Stina Johannes, who then saved Fiona Gaißer’s penalty. Smilla Vallotto ultimately sent Wolfsburg into the final with her converted attempt.
It is not yet clear who VfL will face in Cologne on May 14th. On Easter Monday, FC Bayern and SGS Essen will play the second final ticket. The Munich women won the title last year, ending a ten-year streak of success for the “Wolves”.
The cup final is also Alexandra Popp’s last chance for another title with her long-standing club. The ex-DFB captain has been playing in Wolfsburg since 2012, winning seven championships, the cup eleven times and the Champions League twice with the team. In the summer she leaves the club for Dortmund. She is currently missing from VfL due to a muscular injury.
