VfB Stuttgart reached the DFB Pokal final with a 2-1 extra-time victory over SC Freiburg at the MHPArena, a result that the statistics show was built on overwhelming territorial dominance and a relentless offensive output. Stuttgart amassed 66 per cent possession and fired 29 total shots to Freiburg’s 18, yet required a 119th-minute winner from Tiago Tomás to separate the sides. The Lemeister model had projected a narrow Stuttgart win by 2-1 with a 42 per cent probability, and the eventual scoreline matched that forecast, though the path to it was far more fraught than the shot counts might suggest.
Freiburg struck first in the 28th minute. Maximilian Eggestein, who finished with a match-rating of 8.2, scored what was recorded as a normal goal, with the assist credited to Matthias Ginter. It was a rare moment of incision against the run of play. Freiburg had only 34 per cent of the ball and managed five shots on target from 18 attempts, but they made their early pressure count. Stuttgart, for all their first-half dominance in possession , they completed 573 of 697 passes at 82 per cent accuracy compared to Freiburg’s 253 of 365 at 69 per cent , went into the interval trailing. The expected goals data would have favoured Stuttgart heavily, as they generated nine shots on goal and 21 shots inside the box, reflecting sustained pressure that Freiburg’s defence, marshalled by Jeff Chabot whose rating of 8.2 indicated a strong game, managed to repel until the 70th minute.
Stuttgart’s equaliser arrived in the 70th minute. Deniz Undav, who earned a match-rating of 8.3, scored a normal goal, assisted by Bilal El Khannouss. That strike brought Stuttgart’s superiority in the second period to bear. By full time, Stuttgart had 15 shots off goal and five blocked, while Freiburg goalkeeper Florian Müller made seven saves, earning him a match-rating of 8.5. Müller’s performance was a central reason the match reached extra time at all. His counterpart, Stuttgart’s Florian Müller, made only three saves as Freiburg managed just five efforts on target across the 120 minutes. The corner count of 9-4 in Stuttgart’s favour further illustrated their territorial control, while offsides were minimal at three for Stuttgart and two for Freiburg, suggesting both defences held their lines well despite the heavy shot volume.
The decisive moment arrived in the 119th minute. Tiago Tomás scored a normal goal, assisted by Badredine Bouanani, to send Stuttgart through. Stuttgart’s discipline frayed late, with Tomás collecting a yellow card in the 121st minute, but by then the result was secure. Extra time saw both sides press for a winner, but Stuttgart’s composure in possession and superior passing accuracy of 82 per cent against Freiburg’s 69 per cent told over the additional half-hour. Angelo Stiller was the highest-rated player on the pitch at 8.6, ahead of Müller’s 8.5 and Undav’s 8.3. Stiller’s rating reflected his influence in midfield, where Stuttgart’s 66 per cent possession was orchestrated, while Jamie Leweling also posted an 8.2 rating for his contributions in attack.
The card count reflected the intensity of the contest: five yellow cards for Freiburg and four for Stuttgart. Freiburg’s discipline frayed in the second half, with Vincenzo Grifo, Igor Matanović, and Lucas Höler all cautioned, while Stuttgart’s Ramon Hendriks and Tomás were booked in extra time. Both sides made five substitutions over the course of the match, but neither side had a player sent off. The victory means Stuttgart will contest the DFB Pokal final, while Freiburg exit the competition at the semi-final stage, having come within minutes of forcing a penalty shootout before Tomás’ late intervention. Stuttgart’s 29 shots, of which only nine found the target, highlight an inefficiency in front of goal that will need addressing in the final, but their relentless pressure and superior passing metrics ultimately proved decisive against a Freiburg side that defended resolutely and took their one clear chance.
