Berlin in red: Stuttgart defeat Bielefeld to win German Cup
Stuttgart's Atakan Karazor holds up the trophy as th eteam celebrates winning the German DFB Cup final soccer match against Arminia Bielefeld at the Olympiastadion. Tom Weller/dpa
VfB Stuttgart have defeated third-division side Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 to win the German Cup at Berlin's Olympic stadium on Saturday.
Nick Woltemade, Enzo Millot and Deniz Undav gave the Bundesliga team a 3-0 lead before the break and Millot completed his brace in the second half.
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This is Stuttgart's first major title since they won the league in 2007 and first Cup trophy since 1997, when they were coached by former Germany boss Joachim Löw.
"I'm completely done, the emotions are high," defender Maximilian Mittelstädt said, while Undav added: "You can't describe this feeling."
The win is a bright spot in what was a disappointing season for Stuttgart, after finishing the Bundesliga in ninth and not going past the league phase in the Champions League. It also means they get a spot in the Europa League next term.
"We've made history today. The boys can be proud of how they played," Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle said.
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Bielefeld eliminated four Bundesliga teams on their way to the final and, despite scoring two late goals, could not complete their fairytale and become the first third-division team to win the Cup.
The game
Bielefeld got close to breaking the deadlock with the first clear goal chance of the game in the 12th minute. Noah Sarenren Bazee concluded a quick counterattack but his effort hit the crossbar.
"If the ball had gone in, it could have been different," Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat told reporters in the news conference.
Just three minutes later, Stuttgart took the lead through Germany national team newcomer Woltemade.
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A bad clearance from Bielefeld in midfield fell to Angelo Stiller, who was returning from injury and needed only one touch to find Woltemade on his way to the box. The forward broke free from the defenders and had only the goalkeeper to beat, which he did with a classy touch.
The Bundesliga side doubled their lead in the 22nd after Bielefeld again lost the ball in midfield following a misunderstanding between their players.
This time, Undav collected it before racing to the area and assisting Millot for Stuttgart's second.
Bielefeld's plans to write a Cup fairytale became almost impossible when Undav added his name to the scoresheet in the 28th.
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A third loss of possession from the Arminia side saw Stiller take the ball to lead the counterattack. He found Undav, who this time completed his run to the area with a goal.
Stuttgart could have added a fourth in the 32nd but Millot failed to control the ball and the defender was able to make a clearance.
But the fourth goal eventually came in the 66th, when Millot completed his brace and gave the Stuttgart fans the final reason they needed to start the title celebrations.
Bielefeld pulled one back in the 83rd, scored a second just two minutes later and got close to a third in stoppage-time. It was already two late for a comeback, but both Julian Kania's effort and Josha Vagnoman's own goal were still euphorically celebrated by the Arminia fans.
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"Sad that the third one didn't come. It was not enough, that's why we lost 4-2," Kniat said.
Kania's goal made history as it was the first goal from a third division team in a German Cup final.
Bielefeld are only the fourth team from the third tier to reach the Cup final, following Hertha Berlin's reserves in 2003, Energie Cottbus in 1997 and Union Berlin in 2001. All three then lost.
Party atmosphere in Berlin
"We're not going to bed at all today," Wehrle said.
Stuttgart fans seemed the majority at the sold-out Olympic stadium in Berlin but only by a little.
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Both group of fans created a great atmosphere already before kick-off, with huge visual displays on both sides.
Stuttgart's heroes from the 1997 title greeted the fans before the game started. Among them was Giovane Elber, who scored both goals in the 2-0 win that year.
Former coach Löw was also at the stadium and presented the Cup trophy during the match opening ceremony.
Throughout the game, fans fired fireworks and lighted up flares - which are forbidden in German stadiums - in several occasions.
Sttutgart fans displayed a banner in solidarity to the victims of a knife attack in the western city of Bielefeld last Sunday, wishing the "affected Bielefeld fans" a good recovery.
Police stand in front of the stands with the Bielefeld fans during the German DFB Cup final soccer match between Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld at the Olympiastadion. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Bielefeld's players react after the German DFB Cup final soccer match between Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld at the Olympiastadion. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Bielefeld's Mael Corboz applauds after the German DFB Cup final soccer match between Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld at the Olympiastadion. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Stuttgart's coach Sebastian Hoeness holds up the trophy as he celebrates the team's victory in the German DFB Cup final soccer match against Arminia Bielefeld at the Olympiastadion. Federico Gambarini/dpa
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