VfB celebrates the cup triumph against fighting Arminia heroes

VfB Stuttgart celebrates a lavish cup festival and ended the trophy dream of Sensation finalist Arminia Bielefeld. In a long extremely one-sided endgame, the Swabians have been writing a new glorious chapter of club history with the first DFB Cup triumph for 28 years. With the 4: 2 (3-0) against the Arminia, which was completely overwhelmed in the first half, VfB from coach Sebastian Hoeneß stopped the impressive run of the second division promoted, whose hope of the title coup in the Olympic Stadium suddenly burst.

The base for the triumph was the gates of Nick Woltemade (15th minute), Enzo Millot (22nd) and Deniz Undav (28th). The Swabians showed one of the largest final outsiders in cup history in front of 74,036 spectators at the beginning. VfB initially dominated almost at will and after the change of sides, with Millot’s second goal (66.).

In the 82nd minute, however, a Bielefeld cup story wrote: Julian Kania scored the connection goal for the Arminia, it was the first goal of a third division club in a DFB Cup final. And then it was suddenly even 2: 4 after an own goal of Josha Vagnoman (85th).

VfB shoots into the European Cup

Ultimately, a changeable season of the Swabians ended, in which, unlike in this final, not everything went as desired, but with the big happy ending. Despite the Bundesligaplatz nine, VfB can now look forward to atmospheric Europa League evenings in the next season.

With the first title of club history since the 2007 championship, the eleven crowns the development under Hoeneß. Two years ago the path had started with the almost avoided descent. Then Dieter Hoeneß’s son led the Swabians to the runner -up championship and now to the fourth cup victory after 1954, 1958 and 1997.

« We will tackle the game as if it were against Leverkusen, Bavaria or against Real Madrid, » said national striker Undav and warned against underestimating the Arminen. No sooner said than done.

« The city vibrates »

The fans had attuned to the season highlight in the capital since Friday. « The city vibrates, » VfB coach Hoeneß described the cup atmosphere. In the VfB colors white and red, thousands were pounded around the memorial church.

Ex-national coach Joachim Löw, cup champion trainer from 1997, also appeared as a mood maker. The fans sang their club anthem about the « Wild South »: « Stuttgart comes, Stuttgart comes ».

And according to choreographies of both fan camps, the eleven promptly put the eleven against a disappointing outsider on the lawn – initially in the person of vertical starter Woltemade. After a quarter of an hour, the striker opened the VfB Torfest with the first goal when he ran towards the Arminen goal alone and stayed cool. Bielefeld’s goalkeeper Jonas Kersken was still on, but could not prevent the early deficit for the first finalist from the 3rd division in 24 years.

Stiller shines

At 2: 0, the Swabians countered the Bielefeld after a corner. Undav kept the overview that Millot only had to insert. Undav quickly sparked even more party mood among VfB supporters with his goal.

At all three goals in the first half, Stuttgart’s clock Angelo Stiller was decisively involved as a preparer and impressively underlined why the Stuttgarters had hoped so much for him. Due to a ligament injury, his commitment had been on the brink until the final day.

Bielefeld awards the first huge chance

The game was decided at halftime. There has not yet been a higher breaks than in the 82nd DFB Cup final. In view of the Stuttgart superiority, the interim result could have been even higher.

Even though it was the Arminen who should have taken the lead. With the huge exuberant chance of Noah Joel Sarenren Bazeee, who only hit the crossbar from five meters (12th), the bitter evening for the Bielefeld began. The team of coach Mitch Kniat had previously thrown four first and a second division team from the cup competition.

Before the eyes of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, national coach Julian Nagelsmann, Löw or VfB icons such as Giovane Elber and Krassimir Balakov, VfB continued to put pressure on in the second half. Millot had the Stuttgart cheer again with his second goal. The goal of Kania and the own goal of Vagnoman made the Arminen fans bounce and hope in the curve. However, the final offensive had no further effect. (dpa)