VfB Stuttgart has mastered its next task in the DFB Cup. The defending champion won 3-0 (0-0) at second division club Holstein Kiel and moved into the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons under the direction of coach Sebastian Hoeneß. Bayer Leverkusen presented on Tuesday evening and booked their first semi-final ticket with a 3-0 win against FC St. Pauli.
Thanks to goals from Deniz Undav (56th minute), Chris Führich (89th) and ex-Kiel player Atakan Karazor (90th + 2), the Swabian Champions League candidate defied the adverse sub-zero temperatures in front of 15,034 spectators in the sold-out Holstein Stadium and prevented Kiel from another cup sensation. The relegated Bundesliga team knocked FC Bayern Munich out of the competition almost five years ago.
While Hoeneß did not have to record any short-term absences, the hosts were surprisingly missing Steven Skrzybski. The day before, as a guest at the press conference, the Kiel captain confirmed how much anticipation there was for the game. “That’s what every footballer is passionate about. A game like that. Floodlights. Cup. That’s why you became a footballer as a child and were excited about it,” the attacker said. However, he had to miss the game due to a muscular injury in the final training session.
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Without their captain, Kiel missed out on eliminating the third Bundesliga team this season. Coach Marcel Rapp’s team fought its way into the quarter-finals over VfL Wolfsburg and Hamburger SV. The next win against a favorite was unsuccessful despite a promising initial phase. The hosts cleverly used some switching actions for promising shots on goal by Adrian Kapralik (8th) and Andu Kelati (11th). VfB had a bit of a hard time at first. Chris Führich and Deniz Undav (25th) tried in vain to make it 1-0 with a header before the lead almost came about due to carelessness on the part of goalkeeper Timon Weiner, whose cross slipped through his fingers. But Bilal El Khannous’ shot was blocked.
The defending champion Stuttgart, who is in a good mood and has only lost one of seven competitive games since the turn of the year, has so far defeated the second division teams Braunschweig and Bochum in the cup, as well as their first division rivals Mainz. And started the second half much more actively. Führich was awarded a free kick after a duel with Kiel’s Kasper Davidsen. From the resulting cross, VfB captain and ex-Kiel player Atakan Karazor headed the ball to Undav in the penalty area. The national player persevered and poked the ball into the goal. In the final phase, the Kiel team became dangerous again, but the defending champions made everything clear with their two late goals.
