RB Leipzig's DFB-Pokal Hopes Dashed by Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart secured a 3-1 win over RB Leipzig to advance to the DFB-Pokal final, where they will face Arminia Bielefeld.

VfB Stuttgart pulled off a stunning upset, defeating RB Leipzig 3-1 to advance to the DFB-Pokal final for the first time since 2013. Die Roten will face third-tier Arminia Bielefeld in Berlin, capping off an impressive run in the competition.

The match marked RB Leipzig's first outing under interim head coach Zsolt Low, following the departure of Marco Rose after three years at the helm. However, the Red Bulls' hopes of a fresh start were quickly dashed as Stuttgart dominated the opening 10 minutes, taking an early lead that set the tone for the rest of the match.

Stuttgart took the lead in spectacular fashion, courtesy of Angelo Stiller's unstoppable volley from the edge of the box. The initial corner had been cleared by RB Leipzig's defense, but the headed clearance only looped back to Stiller, who rifled the ball beyond Maarten Vandevoordt with precision.

Our DFB-Pokal campaign comes to an end.

⏱️ FT | 3-1 | #VfBRBL | #DFBPokal pic.twitter.com/OEqWOGZbek

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) April 2, 2025

The hosts' dominance was short-lived, as RB Leipzig began to gain momentum and test Stuttgart's defense. Ermedin Demirovic was denied by Alexander Nubel, and soon, the goalkeeper became the star of the show with a string of excellent saves. Nubel made several crucial stops to deny Lois Openda, including two saves in three minutes on the quarter-hour mark, and a spectacular full-stretch save midway through the first half to tip away a goal-bound Openda shot.

The second half began uneventfully, but Stuttgart suddenly sparked to life with an excellent move that led to their second goal. Capitalizing on sloppy play from RB Leipzig, Nick Woltemade and Demirovic combined in a slick attacking move. Demirovic played a sublime no-look pass to release Woltemade, who coolly placed his finish into the bottom corner to double Stuttgart's lead.

Under the watchful eye of their head of global soccer, Jurgen Klopp, RB Leipzig quickly responded to Stuttgart's early goal. The Red Bulls capitalized on a poorly cleared corner, with Benjamin Sesko poking the ball home from close range to level the score.

However, Leipzig's resurgence was short-lived, as Stuttgart regained the lead just 11 minutes later. Jamie Leweling scrambled home the decisive goal from another corner, securing Die Roten's spot in the DFB-Pokal final. Stuttgart, led by Sebastian Hoenell, will be strong favorites in the final against third-tier Arminia Bielefeld, but they must be cautious not to become the fifth top-flight team to fall victim to the Westphalian underdogs.