Soccer-Holders Stuttgart reach German Cup final with dramatic extra time win over Freiburg


Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - VfB Stuttgart v SC Freiburg - MHPArena, Stuttgart, Germany - April 23, 2026 VfB Stuttgart players celebrate with team after the match REUTERS/Heiko Becker

STUTTGART, Germany, April 23 (Reuters) - German ⁠Cup holders VfB Stuttgart are back in the final after a late extra-time ⁠goal from Tiago Tomas earned the hosts a 2-1 win over Freiburg on ‌Thursday to set up a decider with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Stuttgart came from behind to force the extra period and with penalties beckoning two substitutes combined as Tomas got to a Badredine Bouanani cross ahead of his ​marker to score with one minute left.

Four-time winners Stuttgart, ⁠who beat Arminia Bielefeld in last ⁠year's final, will meet Bayern in Berlin on May 23 after the newly crowned league ⁠winners ‌beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in Wednesday's semi-final.

The visitors took the lead in the 28th minute, Maximilian Eggestein getting his foot on the end of Matthias Ginter's header ⁠to poke the ball past keeper Alexander Nuebel.

The goal came ​from a cheaply conceded ‌corner kick, with Stuttgart defender Angelo Stiller misplacing a long pass back to ⁠Nuebel.

The hosts had ​opportunities to level before the break. Ermedin Demirovic sent a half-volley too high from a great position in the box and Jamie Leweling's low strike went just wide of the far post.

Stuttgart came ⁠close early in the second half when Stiller's close-range ​effort after a scramble in the box was stopped on the line by Freiburg goalkeeper Florian Mueller.

Minutes later the home fans were celebrating when Stiller had the ball in the net but ⁠the flag went up for an offside in the build-up.

The equaliser came with 20 minutes left from a quick counter, Bilal El Khannouss driving forward in possession before laying a pass off for Deniz Undav who struck a first-time shot into the far bottom corner.

Undav ​had a deflected shot hit the upright late on, and ⁠Mueller made two excellent saves to deny Chris Fuehrich and Undav to take the tie to ​extra time, where Fuehrich also hit the post before ‌Tomas's last gasp winner.

Freiburg's bid to win a ​first-ever major trophy now rests on the Europa League where they take on Portuguese club Braga in the last four.

(Reporting by Trevor StynesEditing by Christian Radnedge)

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