27’
20:28
Götze puts Max through, but before it can become dangerous on the left wing, Klostermann is there with a perfectly timed tackle and nips the attack in the bud. Strong defensive action.
24’
20:26
Kolo Muani escapes Henrichs and Klostermann, whereupon the latter plucks his jersey just before the penalty area. The birthday child Klostermann is spared the yellow card. Of course, there is still the promising free kick, which Götze – the other birthday boy on the pitch – kicks far too imprecisely flat in the direction of the first post. That doesn’t pose any problems for the RBL defensive, which will certainly clear up.
22’
20:24
The Red Bulls, who still have the ball possession advantage, find it extremely difficult to make progress in the game. The SGE compresses the center and disrupts with high pressing. Again and again RBL has to continue with a cross or back pass.
19’
20:21
So far it’s a very even endgame, with both teams trying to neutralize the opponent’s strength. While Frankfurt would like to deprive Leipzig of ball security with high pressing, the Red Bulls sometimes use double protection to nip rapid counterattacks by the Hessians in the bud.
16’
20:19
External network for Frankfurt! In the build-up game, Klostermann loses the ball against Kamada, who sends Kolo Muani. The Frenchman immediately refuels at high speed into the pits on the right and then shoots from a half-right position from 13 meters. The ball hits the side netting extremely close to the right post. Breathe deeply for Klostermann, who, by the way, has his birthday today, just like Götze.
15’
20:17
The all-clear for the Saxons: Werner gives his coach a thumbs-up that everything is fine.
14’
20:16
Werner fuels past Buta, but the cross from the left wing is clearly too long for Nkunku. The attacker has no chance of reaching the ball. Werner, on the other hand, seems to have injured himself slightly on the flank. The 27-year-old is limping.
13’
20:15
RB Leipzig is now letting the ball circulate a little longer in their own ranks for the first time and is trying to lure the SBU out of their reserve a little. The Hessians countered with high pressure and repeatedly forced the defending champion to pass back and cross.
10’
20:12
Both teams don’t stay in midfield any longer than necessary, but instead play happily up front. It’s welcome to continue like this in this so far very entertaining finale, which manages without a sampling phase.
7’
20:11
Max dangerously kicks a free kick from the right half-field into the box, where Ndicka finishes from six meters. However, Tuta also speculated on the ball and unluckily blocked his teammate’s shot.
5’
20:07
At the other end, a high ball from Hasebe lands in Kolo Muani, who tries to get within range of a finish with a one-two with Kamada. However, the RBL defense can successfully block.
4’
20:06
The first chance of the game belongs to the defending champion. Szoboszlai serves Werner in the transition game and the attacker can complete from twelve meters half-left position. The result, however, is a little more powerful and too central, which does not pose any problems for Trapp.
1’
20:02
Kick-off in the 80th DFB Cup final. The Red Bulls kick off the 80th DFB Cup final. The Saxons are dressed entirely in red today. The team from Hesse competes in white jerseys over black shorts. The ball rolls.
19:33
By the way, it is the 16th meeting between the two teams tonight, although the direct comparison is balanced. With seven draws, there are four victories in Leipzig and four in Frankfurt. In the 2022/23 season, both teams won their home game. Incidentally, the only duel in the DFB Cup went to SGE in the round of 16 of the 2019/20 season, who beat the Red Bulls 3-1 in their own stadium.
19:27
Compared to the last matchday, when Frankfurt turned a 0-1 deficit against Freiburg into a 2-1 home win, Oliver Glasner changes to two positions tonight: Instead of Christopher Lenz and Jesper Lindstrøm, Philipp Max and Sebastian Rode return back in the first eleven.
19:22
In a very complicated year 2023, Eintracht Frankfurt threatened to gamble away all credit from the first half of the season in the Bundesliga, in which the Hessians not only made it into the Champions League round of 16, but were also on course again towards the premier class. With seven out of nine possible points from the last three league games, the Eagles saved themselves in seventh place. Should the cup final be lost today, the SBU would still remain in the Conference League. The season would be more conciliatory, however, if a second title jumped out under the outgoing coach Oliver Glasner, with which it would go into the Europa League, which the Hessians were known to win last summer under the Austrian.
19:16
On matchday 34 of the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig shot FC Schalke 04 4-2 into second division, although Marco Rose rotated a little for the season finale. There are three changes to the starting line-up tonight: Janis Blaswich returns in goal for Ørjan Nyland (bench). Christopher Nkunku and Benjamin Henrichs will also start for Emil Forsberg and Mohamed Simakan (both bench).
19:11
RB Leipzig said goodbye to the 2022/23 season in very good form with six wins from the last six competitive games and qualified again for the UEFA Champions League in third place in the final table. The DFB Cup has also been extremely good for the Saxons so far. Tonight, RBL is in the grand final for the fourth time in five seasons, which, however, could only be won on the third attempt.
19:06
The Red Bulls could become the first team since Bayern (2019 and 2020) to successfully defend the DFB Cup title. Last season, the Saxons defeated SC Freiburg 4-2 on penalties in the final. Eintracht Frankfurt also has good memories of the last final they reached. Five years ago, the SGE defeated FC Bayern 3-1 in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
19:01
Good evening and welcome from the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Here at 20:00 RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt will face each other in the final of the 2022/23 DFB Cup.
