Tiago Tomás fires Stuttgart to DFB-Pokal final with extra-time winner
VfB Stuttgart have reached the DFB-Pokal final for a second consecutive season after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over SC Freiburg at the MHP Arena on Wednesday night. Substitute Tiago Tomás scored the decisive goal in the 119th minute to send Sebastian Hoeneß's side to Berlin, where they will face Bayern Munich on May 23rd.
Stuttgart fell behind in the first half to a close-range finish from Freiburg's Maximilian Eggestein. The hosts dominated possession but struggled to break down a resolute Freiburg defence until the 71st minute, when Deniz Undav, a former Freiburg player, levelled the tie with a clinical finish. The German international had further chances to win the game in regulation time, hitting the post and being denied by goalkeeper Florian Müller, forcing an additional thirty minutes.
In a tense period of extra-time where both sides tired, the breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Portuguese forward Tiago Tomás, who had entered the fray in the 105th minute, produced a clever, dinked finish from Badredine Bouanani's precise through ball to send the home crowd into raptures. Freiburg, who were also reduced to ten men late on after Yannik Keitel's second yellow card, could not muster a response.
The victory marks a historic achievement for Stuttgart, who have never before reached back-to-back Pokal finals in their history. They lost last year's final 2-0 to RB Leipzig. Their opponent, Bayern Munich, defeated them 3-0 in the Bundesliga just this past Sunday, setting up a compelling rematch for the domestic cup. According to Sky Germany, the Stuttgart squad celebrated the win vociferously, aware of the significance of another trip to the Olympiastadion.
For Freiburg, managed by Christian Streich, it is another semi-final heartbreak in this competition, having also fallen at this stage in 2022 and 2023. Their attention now turns to their own European semi-final, as they prepare to face Braga in the Europa League next week. Both clubs remain locked in a tight battle for European qualification in the Bundesliga, with Stuttgart currently third and Freiburg eighth.
The match-winner, Tiago Tomás, has experienced a mixed season since joining Stuttgart on loan from Sporting CP last summer. The 21-year-old has largely been used as an impact substitute, making 24 league appearances but starting only five times. His moment of magic, however, has cemented his place in the club's recent history and provided a timely reminder of his talent ahead of a likely permanent transfer decision this summer.
