Football isn't always fair. If you watched the recent DFB-Pokal clash between Eintracht Braunschweig vs. Stuttgart, you know exactly what I mean. On one side, you had the defending champions, VfB Stuttgart, oozing with Bundesliga confidence. On the other, a gritty Eintracht Braunschweig squad that refused to read the script.
Most people look at the final score and see a statistical anomaly. A 4-4 draw that went to a 10-round penalty shootout. But if you were actually there—or glued to the screen until nearly midnight—you saw something different. It wasn't just a game; it was a pure, unadulterated collapse of defensive logic.
Why the Eintracht-Stadion Became a Fortress of Chaos
Braunschweig shouldn't have been in it. Honestly. They’re sitting 13th in the 2. Bundesliga, struggling for consistency. Yet, the atmosphere at the Eintracht-Stadion does something to visitors. It’s tight. It’s loud. It feels like the fans are literally breathing on the players' necks.
Sven Köhler set the tone early. Eight minutes in, he finds the back of the net after a slick ball from Mehmet Aydin. The stadium erupted. You could see the "here we go again" look on the faces of the Stuttgart defenders. Stuttgart, managed by Sebastian Hoeneß, had just come off a frustrating start to their domestic season, and the last thing they needed was to be trailing a second-division side before the ten-minute mark.
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Stuttgart responded, of course. Ermedin Demirović is a problem for any backline, and he proved it by leveling things just three minutes later. But Braunschweig didn't fold. They played a high-press game that made the Champions League-bound Stuttgart look, well, human.
The Demirović Factor and Tactical gambles
Stuttgart’s tactical setup was supposed to be their safety net. They played a 4-2-3-1 that transitioned into a fluid attacking front, but Braunschweig’s coach, Heiner Backhaus, took a massive risk. He essentially told his players to hunt in packs.
- The Press: Braunschweig ignored the gap in quality and pressed Alexander Nübel every time he touched the ball.
- The Counter: Fabio Di Michele Sanchez was a revelation. He scored twice in the second half—one in the 77th and another in the 85th—to put the underdogs 3-2 up.
- The Late Drama: Just when the upset felt real, Nick Woltemade—who had been a subject of massive transfer rumors involving Bayern Munich—popped up in the 89th minute to make it 3-3.
Eintracht Braunschweig vs. Stuttgart: A Match That Defied the Stats
If you look at the expected goals (xG), Stuttgart dominated. They had 67% possession. They looked like the better team on paper. But football isn’t played on paper. It’s played in the mud and the frantic last-second lunges.
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When the game went to extra time, the legs started to go. An own goal by Sanoussy Ba in the 92nd minute seemed to be the dagger for Braunschweig. 4-3 to Stuttgart. Most teams would have quit. Most teams would have accepted the "valiant effort" narrative and gone home. Not the Lions. Christian Conteh—a sub who brought lightning pace—slotted home the 4-4 equalizer in the 104th minute.
The Penalty Shootout That Wouldn't End
By the time the shootout started, the technical quality was gone. It was pure nerves. We saw twenty penalties in total. 20.
Alexander Nübel, who had a shaky game in regulation, eventually became the hero. He saved the final attempt from Lukas Frenkert, allowing Lorenz Assignon to step up and bury the winner. The final tally: 8-7 on penalties. Stuttgart survived, but they didn't really "win" in the way a champion should. They escaped.
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What This Means for the Rest of the Season
Stuttgart is still in the hunt to defend their title, but this game exposed some serious cracks. Their defense, missing the injured Jeff Chabot, looked disorganized. When they face higher-tier opposition in the Bundesliga or Europe, they won't get 120 minutes to fix their mistakes.
For Braunschweig, this is a bittersweet momentum builder. They proved they can hang with the best in Germany. If they can bring half of that intensity to their 2. Bundesliga fixtures against the likes of Schalke or Hannover, they won’t be in 13th place for long.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Don't Sleep on the Underdog: In the DFB-Pokal, league tiers are a suggestion, not a rule.
- Demirović is Essential: Without his brace, Stuttgart wouldn't have even made it to extra time.
- Braunschweig’s Fitness: The fact they matched a top-tier team for 120 minutes suggests their conditioning is elite, even if their finishing is sometimes erratic.
If you’re following the German season, keep an eye on how these two teams react to this result. Stuttgart needs to tighten up at the back, or their Champions League campaign will be a short one. Meanwhile, Braunschweig fans should be optimistic. They didn't get the win, but they got their pride back.
Watch the highlights if you can find them. Specifically, look at the build-up to Di Michele Sanchez’s second goal. It’s a masterclass in exploiting a high line. For your next steps, keep a close eye on the injury report for Sven Köhler; he left the game late with what looked like a nagging muscle issue, and Braunschweig's midfield looks much thinner without him. If he’s out for the next few weeks, their league form might take a hit despite the cup heroics.