VfB Stuttgart won their DFB Cup round of 16 against SC Paderborn. For a long time, however, the second division team looked like the sure winner.
After Konstantions Mavropanos gave Paderborn the lead with a slapstick own goal, there was little to be seen of the disappointing Stuttgart for a long time. Only in the closing stages did the Swabians turn the game around with goals from new signing Gild Dias (86′) and Serhou Guirassy (90′ + 5′).
Stuttgart’s Mavropanos with a slapstick own goal
Mavropanos put East Westphalia ahead in the fourth minute with a slapstick own goal. The Greek played a back pass in the direction of his own goal without having his goalkeeper Florian Müller in view. Müller, who had offered himself next to the goal, could no longer get the ball.
Stuttgart was not unsettled by the goal and immediately took control of the game. Guirassy’s free kick (9th) was VfB’s first good chance, but Paderborn’s goalkeeper Jannik Huth was able to safely parry. Shortly thereafter, Atakan Karazor and Wataru Endo tried from behind and both shots went wide.
Paderborn allows little
The second division could hardly set any accents on the offensive after the early goal. However, the Paderborne defenders were focused and strong in the duel, so that the Stuttgarters didn’t get any more dangerous shots in the course of the first half.
Even after the restart, the 14,000 spectators in Paderborn saw the same picture. Stuttgart ran, but didn’t have clear chances to score. Instead, Paderborn became dangerous: After a counterattack, Robert Leipertz used Felix Platte, who put his direct acceptance well over the crossbar.
Stuttgart’s Gil Dias scores to equalize
It wasn’t until the 77th minute that Stuttgart got their first big chance of the game: Chris Führich sent a sharp cross to the back post, Guirassy didn’t hit the ball properly from an excellent finishing position.
Dias, less than five minutes after being substituted on, managed to equalize for Stuttgart. After passing Luca Pfeiffer, the Portuguese adjusted the ball and hit the corner from the edge of the penalty area, which is a sight to behold.
Guirassy scores the winning goal
But that’s not all: in the last minute of stoppage time, Guirassy headed in after a corner kick and scored the flattering VfB winner.