DFB Pokal Madness | Stuttgart-Eintracht Braunschweig player ratings and tactical review | OneFootball

In a match that was an absolute gift to football fans everywhere, defending DFB Pokal Champions VfB Stuttgart narrowly avoided being dumped out in the opening round of the 2025/26 competition on Tuesday night. Lower Saxony’s Eintracht Braunschweig of the 2. Bundesliga pushed Sebastian Hoeneß’ title holders to the absolute limit in a 4-4 draw that ended up being decided after ten full penalty shootout rounds!

Underdog Braunschweig did just about all they could to force the upset. In conceding four goals, Stuttgart have now equalled the total number of goals conceded in their entire winning cup run last year. This match could have easily gone either way. Unfortunately for the BTSV, the PSO didn’t break their way when a cramped Louis Frenkert couldn’t convert in the 10th round after his teammates sunk six straight.

Stuttgart’s narrow escape means that Werder Bremen remain the only Bundesliga side to lose their opening round Pokal fixture. Bayern kick off their cup campaign tomorrow against SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Are their lessons to be gleaned for Stuttgart? After telling the story of the match, we’ll supply player ratings and furnish a brief tactical review.

Stuttgart’s shaky start

Spurned on by an absolutely fabulous choreo and pyro display from their ultra section, the Lower Saxon Lions got off to a fiery start. Knowing full well that injuries to Jeff Chabot and Luca Jaquez forced Hoeneß to throw two centre-backs into a “cold start”, Braunschweig threw everything they had at the VfB defense. Hoffenheim loanee Erencan Yardımcı pounced on an VfB keeper Alexander Nübel – who couldn’t figure how to pass the ball out – in the 6th-minute to earn an early corner.

Just two minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Braunschweig captain Sven Köhler – a central defender playing high up in midfield on this particular evening – had a go from 30 meters out in the 8th-minute. Nübel still might have done much better with a powerful shot that was nevertheless a little fluttery. A late reaction from the VfB keeper allowed the ball to float into the right corner. It appeared as if the defending DFB Pokal champions were very much back on their heels for a few more minutes.

An immediate response

The equalizer came in the 12th-minute courtesy of a Chris Führich cross and an Ermedin Demirovic finish. Führich’s run and delivery were sharp while the Bosnian striker was a little lucky to see the ball bounce in after taking a slight deflection off Braunschweig defender Louis Breunig. The underdog hosts still managed to push forward a bit after parity was restored, but Stuttgart were eventually able to settle matters down in midfield and begin to impose their game.  Braunschweig did remain committed on the press.

Most of the chances nevertheless belonged to the guests. Ramon Hendriks (20th), Deniz Undav (23rd, 30th), and Lorenz Assignon (36th) missed opportunities to give the Cannstatter the lead. Stuttgart generally coped with the Eintracht press well. On a few occasions, the Lions were able to break through on Assignon’s side. Poor quality crosses and shots still didn’t really manage to test Nübel. There would be a determined finish to the opening 45 from Heiner Backhaus’ men.

The hosts flatten out

Yardımcı (41st) and skipper Köhler (45+4) nearly helped their team head into the tunnel with a half-time lead. Yardımcı hit the side netting with his effort. Nübel did a much better job with Köhler’s distance effort (this time from about 18 meters out) seconds away from the half-time whistle. At the other end, returning Stuttgart hero Tiago Tomas saw a nice effort deflected over the bar in the 44th. Yardımcı had a couple of half-chances after the restart, ultimately being unable to strike the ball cleanly.

In general, Stuttgart looked the more organized and composed team after the break. A lead taken at the hour-mark felt fully deserved. Again it was Führich from the left, cutting into the penalty area to service Angelo Stiller. Something of a lucky touch from Stiller furthered the ball for Demirovic, who had an easy tap in from about five meters out. As the substitutes began to pour on, neither team could establish much of a flow after the 60th-minute 1-2. One sensed that the Bundesliga side might quietly close it out.

The unexpected late twists

A beautiful cross from BTSV skipper Köhler initiated the play that led to the equalizer. Braunschweig left wingback Fabio Di Michele Sanchez still deserves immense credit for smashing home the 2-2 from an extremely tight angle in the 77th-minute. Eight minutes later, it was Di Michele Sanchez again with another dream finish. The former Wolfsburg academy man – also the scorer of a crucial goal in Braunschweig’s relegation playoff round last spring – once again blasted the ball from a tight angle on the left on the 85th-minute 3-2.

Stuttgart equalized in the 89th-minute through substitutes Jamie Leweling and Nick Woltemade. Leweling bravely pushed past three Braunschweig markers on the left near the touchline. This piece of sublime skill was followed up by some random ping-ponging of the ball in the box. The ball very fortuitously landed at Woltemade’s feet. Initially, Woltemade wasn’t in any condition to shoot as he was flat on his back. Thanks to some loose marking, however, the rising German superstar was able to pick himself up and fire home the 3-3.

Tomas takes control

Braunschweig has their work cut out for them in the added periods when it became apparent that their talismanic captain Köhler could not continue shortly before the end of normal time. It took just two into added time for Stuttgart to restore the advantage. A gorgeous touch from Tomas on the right enabled the new VfB acquisition to elegant dust off his marker and square for Demirovic. It would not prove a hat trick for VfB striker, however, as replays confirmed that BTSV defender Sanoussy Ba got the last touch on the 3-4.

The hosts punch back

To their immense credit, the hosts obstinately refused to give up. A ridiculously unlucky strike off the crossbar in the 99th from defender Lukas Frenkert prevented the hosts from equalizing. The hosts did net the 4-4 in the 105th by bum-rushing the box with bodies. Amid all the chaos, Christian Joe Conteh finished off the turn following some nice set-up-work from Max Marie and Leon Bell Bell.

The road to penalties

Braunschweig absolutely weren’t finished. Just before the first half of extra time, Bell Bell and BTSV midfielder Johan Gomez supplied a vicious double chance at 105+2. The second half of extra time ended up being not much to write home about. Fouls. Bookings. Cramps. A typical 15-minute-period put in by two gassed teams ready for the shootout. Leweling earned a deserved yellow card for diving in the box at 120+2.

Will we be here all night?

Early misses from Gomes and Marie appeared to put Stuttgart in a position to wrap matters up quickly. Returning defender Dan-Axel Zagadou and new signing Chema Andres nevertheless missed their own takes in the opening five rounds. To sudden death we went. All players on both sides converted until Frenkert’s miss in round ten. Assignon got a chance to be the hero by sinking from the spot.

VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings

Alexander Nübel (7) – Maximilian Mittelstädt (5), Ramon Hendriks (4), Finn Jeltz (4), Lorenz Assignon (7) – Angelo Stiller (8), Atakan Karazor (6) – Chris Führich (7), Deniz Undav (6), Tiago Tomas (8) – Ermedin Demirovic (7)

Substitutes: Nick Woltemade (6), Jamie Leweling (7), Josha Vagnoman, (5) ,Chema Andres (4), Dan-Axel Zagadou (3)

GGFN Player of the Match: Johan Gomez (8)

So many Braunschweig players deserve an honorable mention. Beyond those who got themselves on the scoresheet (Köhler, Di Michele Sanchez, Conteh, and Max Marie), young Mexican-American midfielder Johan Gomez really caught the eye with his persistent hustle over the course of the full 120 minutes. The Arlington Texas has been scraping about with the Lions at the bottom of the 2. Bundesliga for the last two seasons after spending a couple of years with FSV Zwickau in the 3. Liga.

He didn’t score for the Löwen last year and hasn’t even earned a start through three second division matchdays this year. That may be set to change after this game. The youngster recored five shots and assisted on three more. Without access to either his heat map or total kilometer count, the author conjectures that both are off the charts based on what he witnessed with the naked eye. Unbelievable how many times the 24-year-old embarked on long dribbles. Sadly, that penalty miss will haunt him.

Some Braunschweig players it proved a pleasure to see again included former Schalke man Mehmet Aydin and quintessential German journeyman striker Sebastian Polter. Aydin actually fulfilled a lot of different roles tactically and Polter did well off the bench. A lower-league journeyman Germans are familiar with, Robin Heußler, did very well playing in a much more forward position, just like BTSV skipper Köhler. Interesting to discover that Heidenhiem striker Maximilian Breunig has a younger brother Louis who features for Braunschweig.

With respect to Stuttgart, one can easily label Nübel the hero of the match. Stiller is probably the better pick as he was the most consistent VfB outfielder. Tomas’ excellent performance should hopefully prove indicative of the season to come. Leweling and Führich were solid. Demirovic, Woltemade, Undav, and Vagnoman have had and will have much better games. Chabot and Jaquez can’t get back to the defensive ranks soon enough. Chabot has been playing well enough to earn a German national team call-up.

VfB Stuttgart Tactical Review

We last checked in with Stuttgart right after the DFL Supercup. Since then, Sebastian Hoeneß’ Württembergers found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 encounter with 1. FC Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. The visiting BaWü side dominated their hosts in every last statistical category, yet found themselves undone by a brace from impressive Union debutant Ilyas Ansah. Hoeneß caught some flak in the German press for going with a highly unconventional tactical arrangement.

Few watching the match could make heads or tails of this:

Lineup—VfB Stuttgart (Bundesliga)

When in possession, there absolutely wasn’t anyone covering the right. The flat nature of the back-three meant that Josha Vagnoman had to constantly track back in order to assist on the bow arcs. The axes of Atakan Karazor-Angelo Stiller and Jamie-Leweling-Deniz Undav mostly remained tightly chained and slanted left. Coverage in most cases was nominal. Approach play remained choppy, cautious, and downright squiggly at times.

Needless to say, not a lot of scoring chances were fashioned out of VfB’s dominant possession. Hoeneß likely threw something like this together based on the fact that Union rarely want the ball anyway. One can generally spam any sort of high press against die Eisernen and generally produce something. Were it not for some bad misses from players like Vagnoman and Karazor. FCU keeper Frederik Rønnow made some nice stops and Deniz Undav hit the crossbar.

Lineup—VfB Stuttgart (71st minute)

The more sensible – though still unconventional – late 4-4-2 produced a pullback goal and might have produced more had Luca Jaquez not had to exit proceedings injured at the beginning of injury time and Nick Woltemade not been well offside on the supposed 2-2 at 90+6. In any event, it came as little surprise to see Hoeneß return to something infinitely simpler in the Pokal. The defending champs – with five changes to the previous XI – lined up in a 4-2-3-1.

Lineup—VfB Stuttgart (DFB Pokal)

If there was a bit of nuance here, Stiller appeared to work a little deeper on a split stagger. The German international actually did well as both a stabilizing midfield flight director and a good offensive actor on the charge. Stiller broke into the box when he sensed he could make an impact and actively attempted to hit his colleagues with long balls from the deep.

Few positives to report about the Stuttgart back-line, apart from the fact that mega-signing Assignon recovered very well after a noticeably poor first half. Führich turned in an excellent shift before being subbed off. Tomas’ performance speaks for itself. Hoeneß appeared to stick with like-for-like substitutions throughout.

Woltemade relieved Undav in the ten slot, as he can do. Vagnoman also plugged in for Tomas on a straight arrow swap on the right wing, as he can do as well. Ideally, this is what we should be seeing moving forward. Hoeneß mostly stuck to a 4-2-3-1 last season and doesn’t need to employ any more tricks to get this side clicking.

GGFN | Peter Weis