Oliver Glasner was boosted by the return of Evan Ndicka, Djibril Sow and top scorer Randal Kolo Muani, with the trio recalled to the starting line-up in place of Aurélio Buta, Ansgar Knauff and Rafael Borré.
Hard-fought battle
There was a heated atmosphere at the Mercedes-Benz Arena and it was suitably feisty on the pitch, with referee Daniel Schlager handing out three bookings inside the first nine minutes. Chances were less forthcoming to begin with, but Stuttgart took the lead with their first on 19 minutes. Josha Vagnoman was sent away down the right and he got to the byline before cutting the ball back to Tiago Tomás, who had too much time to set himself up and fire past Kevin Trapp.
The Eagles gradually grew into the game and started to find openings, albeit without really troubling VfB goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow. Sebastian Rode steered a bouncing ball over the bar shortly after the half-hour mark, Ndicka headed wide from a Christopher Lenz free-kick and Daichi Kamada’s powerful volley was too close to Bredlow. In fact, Eintracht were grateful to Kevin Trapp that it was only 1-0 at the break, with the Frankfurt number one saving well from efforts by Silas and Vagnoman.
Dramatic finale
Eintracht started the second half much more strongly and levelled the score in the 51st minute, when the hosts failed to clear a Lenz cross and Kolo Muani laid it off smartly for Ndicka, who drilled in the equaliser. It wasn’t level for long, though, as Kamada made it 2-1 shortly after, winning the ball in midfield before running towards goal and beating Bredlow with a low shot into the bottom near corner.
The action then quietened down temporarily and the Eagles looked to have some degree of control. Kolo Muani missed the target with a first-time volley from a free-kick in the 70th minute, but did make it 3-1 minutes later. The Frenchman was upended by Bredlow after being played in by Kamada, leading to a yellow card for the Stuttgart keeper and a penalty. Kolo Muani stepped up himself and cooly converted his sixth DFB Cup goal.
The hosts rallied, though, and reduced the deficit back to one through Enzo Millot in the 83rd minute. They were then reduced to 10 men when Borna Sosa was shown a second yellow card, but VfB nevertheless threw everything forward in a lengthy period of stoppage time. Serhou Guirassy’s free-kick tested Trapp, and then the referee tested everyone’s nerves when he reviewed a potential handball in the penalty area. Thankfully he stuck to his decision of no penalty and it’s Eintracht Frankfurt who will play Leipzig in the DFB Cup final on 3 June.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka – Dina Ebimbe, Rode (Buta 46’), Sow, Lenz – Kamada, Götze (Lindström 78’) – Kolo Muani (Borré 84’)
Goals
1-0 Tomás (19’)
1-1 Ndicka (51’)
1-2 Kamada (55’)
1-3 Kolo Muani (77’ pen)
2-3 Millot (83’)