Stuttgart withstands late Bielefeld fightback for German Cup

Berlin, May 25 (IANS) VfB Stuttgart lifted the German Cup for the fourth time after defeating third-tier champions Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in the final here on Saturday.

Despite Bielefeld's remarkable run to the final, which included knocking out four Bundesliga sides, Stuttgart showed its top-flight quality when it mattered most.

The underdogs almost took the lead after just 12 minutes when Noah Sarenren Bazee hit the crossbar from close range, reports Xinhua.

Stuttgart responded ruthlessly, as Nick Woltemade opened the scoring three minutes later with a composed finish following a clever pass from Angelo Stiller.

Soon after, a defensive mix-up allowed Deniz Undav to burst through and unselfishly set up Enzo Millot to make it 2-0.

When Undav converted Stiller's second assist of the night to make it 3-0 before halftime, the result seemed beyond doubt.

Millot grabbed his second midway through the second half, pouncing on a misplaced pass from Louis Oppie to curl in a fourth.

But Bielefeld refused to go down without a fight. Substitute Julian Kania reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute with a neat finish, and Josha Vagnoman's own goal three minutes later gave Bielefeld hope of an unlikely comeback.

However, goalkeeper Alexander Nubel's late save denied Joel Felix a third goal, and Stuttgart held firm to secure victory.

"It's hard to put into words. I'm absolutely overjoyed with this win," said Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness.

"In a game like this, anything can happen. In the end, we had to dig deep once more. Huge credit to my players and to Bielefeld, a team that simply never gives up. It's been a long time since Stuttgart won a trophy, which makes this moment more special."

Stuttgart will compete in next season's UEFA Europa League. For Bielefeld, the final capped a memorable season which included promotion and a historic Cup run.

"The opponent punished our mistakes mercilessly within ten minutes. Still, I'm incredibly proud of my team. Even though the disappointment prevails right now, we have had a fantastic Cup run and a great season," said Arminia Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat.

--IANS

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