Holders Stuttgart set up a DFB-Pokal final with Bayern Munich as Tiago Tomas scored a superb 119th-minute goal to secure a dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory over Freiburg after extra time.
Maximilian Eggestein’s 28th-minute header stunned a raucous MHP Arena to give Freiburg the lead, and it looked as if it might be their night when Angelo Stiller’s equaliser was ruled out for offside just after the hour mark.
But Deniz Undav fired home an equaliser in the 70th minute, scoring his 24th goal of the season after good work from Bilal El Khannouss, the substitute providing the assist seven minutes after entering the fray.
Freiburg’s Lucas Holger had a goal chalked off for a foul in the build-up in the first minute of extra time, before Chris Fuhrich hit the post for Stuttgart, who then saw El Khannouss denied by Florian Muller as the visitors clung on.
Yet they could not hold out for penalties, with Badredine Bouanani making a remarkable impact a minute after coming on as he surged down the right and pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tomas, whose stunning improvised finish ensured Stuttgart’s title defence will continue all the way to Berlin, where they will hope to deny Bayern a first Pokal success since 2020.
