04/23/26 05:12:00
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04/23 17:06 CDT Last-gasp backheel goal sends Stuttgart past Freiburg to German
Cup final against Bayern
Last-gasp backheel goal sends Stuttgart past Freiburg to German Cup final
against Bayern
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) --- Tiago Toms' spectacular 119th-minute backheel goal
sent Stuttgart back to the German Cup final with an extra-time 2-1 win over
Freiburg to keep its title defense rolling Thursday.
In the final in Berlin on May 23, Stuttgart will now aim to foil a Bayern
Munich domestic double, which could become a treble if Vincent Kompany's team
wins the Champions League too.
The back-to-back cup finals for Stuttgart couldn't be more different, facing a
record-breaking Bayern --- which beat Stuttgart 4-2 last weekend --- after
beating one of the competition's biggest-ever underdogs, third-tier Arminia
Bielefeld, in last year's final.
"It's a really tough question. I think just be concentrated, try to make as few
mistakes as possible," Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav told Sky Sport when asked
how his team can make an upset happen. "We believe in it. Anything can happen
in Berlin. It's one game."
Freiburg's chances of an unusual double ended, but it's still a contender for
the Europa League title after reaching the semifinals.
The game was heading for a penalty shootout when Toms produced a moment of
individual skill by twisting in the air between two defenders as a pass came in
from Badredine Bouanani and using his heel to flick the ball past Freiburg's
otherwise outstanding goalkeeper Florian Mller.
Toms celebrated shirtless, holding a corner flag aloft to the crowd, and
shrugged off the inevitable yellow card. Freiburg pushed for another goal and
even sent Mller into the attack at a corner but it wasn't enough.
"There's not many words to describe what happened," Toms said. "I think it's
one of those nights. It will stay for me in my lifetime in my memory."
Earlier, Freiburg took the lead when Maximilian Eggestein flicked Matthias
Ginter's header past the goalkeeper at a corner in the 28th minute. Soon after
having a goal ruled out for offside, Stuttgart pulled level in the 70th when
Undav finished off a counterattack for his 24th club goal of the season.
Undav turned creator, setting up his teammates for a series of chances as
Stuttgart took control but Mller's quick reactions kept his team in the
contest, as Chris Fhrich had one shot saved just before the game went to extra
time, and hit the post soon after. Freiburg was left aggrieved after Lucas
Hler had a goal disallowed for bodychecking a defender.
Bayern reached the final for the first time since 2020 by beating Bayer
Leverkusen 2-0 on Wednesday.
The cup offers a Europa League place for the winner, but that will now almost
certainly revert to being an extra spot in the league standings since Stuttgart
is on track to qualify for next season's Champions League through the
Bundesliga.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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