VfB Stuttgart is in the second round of the cup. © ANSA / HANNIBAL HANSCHKE

Defending champion avoids embarrassment in penalty shootout

Defending champions VfB Stuttgart only made it through the first round of the DFB Cup in an eight-goal drama involving extra time and a penalty shootout.

August 26, 2025

From: dpa

Three months after their final triumph in Berlin, VfB struggled to an 8-7 penalty shootout victory against second-division club Eintracht Braunschweig in one of the most thrilling cup matches of recent years. The score was 90-3 (3-1) after 1 minutes, and 4-4 after extra time.

Stuttgart had already trailed twice in front of 20.865 spectators at the Eintracht Stadium. Substitute Nick Woltemade saved the favorites' 89-3 tie in the 3th minute, sending the game into extra time. Sanoussy Ba then scored an early own goal (92nd minute), but the aggressive, hard-working, and never-slacking Braunschweig team struck back again through Christian Conteh (105th minute).

VfB faces a lot of work despite victory

This battle only came to a penalty shootout, which was hard to beat in terms of suspense: Alexander Nübel, who had been weak up to that point, saved two penalties from Johan Gomez and Max Marie, but then Ron-Thorben Hoffmann also saved a shot from Chema Andres, and Dan-Axel Zagadou shot wide. Nübel finally saved Lukas Frenkert, while Lorenz Assignon converted the 20th penalty to send VfB celebrating. In the end, VfB celebrated their first win of the season in their third competitive match. But Stuttgart still have plenty of work to do.

DFB Cup, 1st round – result

Eintracht Braunschweig – VfB Stuttgart 5:4 on penalties (4:4, 3:3, 1:1)
Goals: 1:0 Köhler (8th), 1:1 Demirovic (12th), 1:2 Demirovic (60th), 2:2 Di Michele Sanchez (77th), Di Michele Sanchez (85th), 3:3 Woltemade (89th), 3:4 Ba (92nd/own goal), 4:4 Conteh (105th)