A last-minute win to reach the semi-finals: Bayer Leverkusen opened the door to their first title in the DFB Cup since 1993 and gained a lot of self-confidence for the league summit against Bayern Munich. In the duel of high-flyers, coach Xabi Alonso’s team defeated VfB Stuttgart 3-2 (0-1) after falling behind twice in the quarter-finals. Only one win separates the Werkself from the final in Berlin on May 25th.
National player Jonathan Tah scored the decisive goal with a header in the 90th minute after outstanding preparatory work from Florian Wirtz. Robert Andrich (50th) and Amine Adli (66th) had previously equalized twice for Bayer, who remained unbeaten in their 30th competitive game this season.
The factory club follows the two second division teams Fortuna Düsseldorf and 1. FC Kaiserslautern and goes into the semi-finals as the big favorite. On Saturday (6:30 p.m./Sky) the next supposed “final game” will take place in the BayArena against Bayern, who could take over the top of the Bundesliga table with a win.
Waldemar Anton (11th) and Chris Führich (58th) gave Stuttgart the lead twice. The surprise third place in the league missed the great chance of winning the fourth cup (last time in 1997).
Speaking on the “ARD” microphone, VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß described the loss of star striker Serhou Guirassy, who only returned from the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, as “very, very bitter” in Stuttgart due to gastrointestinal problems, muscular problems and travel stress stayed. “Leverkusen is the best team of the season. We want to cause a surprise,” said Hoeneß.
Favorite Bayer rotated five times compared to the 2-0 win in Darmstadt. Alonso again relied on Jeremie Frimpong, Jonas Hofmann and Patrik Schick in the offensive, cup keeper Matej Kovar was allowed to play in goal, and Edmond Tapsoba celebrated his starting eleven comeback in the back three.
At the Africa Cup, his own goal ensured that Burkina Faso were eliminated from the round of 16 – and the 25-year-old also made a mistake with VfB’s opening goal. Tapsoba lost sight of Anton, who gave Kovar no chance with his well-placed header.
In the league, VfB held the Werkself to a fair 1-1 draw in December. With the tailwind of two recent wins and 8:3 goals, the guests, led by 14-goal striker Deniz Undav, fought hard from the start and won over 70 percent of the duels in the first 20 minutes.
After the difficult initial phase, the hosts got better and better into the game. Frimpong was brought off his feet by Hiroki Ito, but referee Daniel Schlager didn’t blow his whistle (22′). Alonso didn’t like that at all; the Spaniard discussed the match with the referees on the sidelines an unusual number of times.
The shots were initially too harmless, but Alejandro Grimaldo (42nd) with a free kick and twice Schick (44th/48th) forced VfB keeper Alexander Nübel to do brilliant deeds.
An open exchange of blows followed. Andrich scored the deserved equalizer with a dream goal from 20 meters, Führich silenced the sold-out arena again. But only briefly, until substitute Adli got away from everyone. When Tah scored in the final minute of regular time, the BayArena was turned upside down.