Frankfurt into German Cup final after comeback win over Stuttgart

Stuttgart (Germany) (AFP): Eintracht Frankfurt came from a goal down to book a date with RB Leipzig in the German Cup final with a 3-2 win over Stuttgart on Wednesday.

Trailing after a Tiago Tomas goal, the Europa League champions scored two goals in five second-half minutes through Evan Ndicka and Daichi Kamada to turn the game.

France striker Randal Kolo Muani was brought down in the box with 15 minutes remaining and converted the penalty. Stuttgart’s Enzo Millot pulled one back but the home side were reduced to 10 men shortly after when Borna Sosa picked up a second yellow.

Frankfurt survived a VAR review for a handball in the penalty area in the seventh minute of injury time to remain on track for a sixth German Cup title. Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner admitted his team “were lucky today”, telling Germany’s ARD network “I’m crazily happy and proud of the boys.”

“We’re very happy to be going to Berlin.” Stuttgart goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow said his side’s “disappointment is huge”, complaining “the ball clearly hit the arm” of a Frankfurt player in the final seconds. “With a little bit of luck we’d get the penalty, we’d shoot 3-3 and it’d go into extra time.”

Frankfurt back in form

Despite sitting just one spot above the Bundesliga relegation spots on goal difference, hosts Stuttgart came into the match unbeaten in five games under new manager Sebastian Hoeness.

Ninth in the league, Frankfurt arrived amid a terrible run of form, with only one win in 11 matches since being eliminated from the Champions League by Napoli. Tomas gave Stuttgart the lead after 18 minutes, smashing the ball past goalie Kevin Trapp at the near post after collecting a cutback from Josha Vagnoman.

Frankfurt emerged from the half-time break a different side and took the lead five minutes in, Kolo Muani finding Ndicka in the box who hammered a low finish to equalise. Kamada made it two five minutes later with a solo effort, beating several Stuttgart defenders before placing the ball into the left-hand corner.

With 15 minutes remaining, Stuttgart pushed several players forward looking for an equaliser, but the ball fell fortunately for Kamada who ran 50 metres before finding Kolo Muani, who was felled in the box by goalie Fabian Bredlow.

Bredlow escaped with a yellow card but Kolo Muani converted the penalty to give the visitors a 3-1 lead. The France striker now has 21 goals in 41 games for Frankfurt.

With the home fans in full voice, Stuttgart’s frustrations rose, with Sosa yellow carded for kicking the ball away. Millot scored a deflected goal for the home side soon after but Sosa picked up a second yellow with four remaining for sinking his studs into the foot of Aurelio Buta.

Stuttgart pushed for a late equaliser and had a corner with 15 seconds remaining in injury time and claimed a handball, but the incident survived a VAR review. Frankfurt, who last won the title in 2018 with a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich, will meet Leipzig, who dispatched Freiburg 5-1 on Tuesday, on June 3 in the German capital.