Red Bull Leipzig have stormed through to the 2023 DFB Pokal final where they will meet Eintracht Frankfurt, and fans of Die Roten Bullen probably think their name is on the trophy.
Leipzig claimed their first major piece of silverware last season, beating SC Freiburg on penalties to win the 2022 DFB Pokal. And this time around they slaughtered the same team 5-1 to reach the final again. It’s starting to look like Red Bull and this competition fit together, this being their fourth final appearance in five seasons, and the DFB Pokal 2023 betting odds will install Marco Rose’s team as favourites when they encounter Frankfurt at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on 3rd June.
Striker Timo Werner has been in good form from Red Bull recently and he’s was top scoring in the competition with five goals; but the former Chelsea man was one of the unlucky ones who didn’t get on the score sheet after seeing his early effort charged down, but the floodgates opened soon enough. Leipzig scored four unanswered goals to put the game to bed before the break, as Dani Olmo, Benjamin Henrichs, Dominik Szoboszlai and Christopher Nkunku all breached the Freiburg defence.
SC Freiburg went down to ten men when Josko Gvardiol picked up a red card for a nasty foul on Roland Sallai just before the hour mark, when the score was still 4-0, but they pulled a goal back on 75 minutes when Michael Gregoritsch headed home a beautiful cross from Sallai. But even that consolation was wiped out when Szoboszlai completed his brace with a 97th minute penalty after Lukas Kubler had upended Mohamed Simakan in the box.
Freiburg and Red Bull are battling for a top four place in the Bundesliga and will meet again in the league on Saturday. Freiburg boss Christian Streich has plenty to work on with his team and the DFB Pokal 2023 highlights will be painful but necessary viewing. Freiburg, in fourth, are two points ahead of Leipzig and they will be desperate to keep the Bulls at arms length… and now they have a revenge motive too.
VfB Stuttgart 2-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
Five times DFB Pokal winners Eintracht made it through to the final in a dramatic five goal victory in Stuttgart.
Eintracht’s season had fallen off a cliff with one win from 12 and they were over-run in the opening exchanges as a buoyant Stuttgart came out all guns blazing. In a packed and noisy stadium there were four yellow cards in the first 20 minutes and an opening goal for Stuttgart. Anton Waldemar burst down the right and pulled the ball back for the on-loan Thiago Tomas who fired home at the near post to take the roof off the stadium. He’s been a popular figure in Stuttgart and if VfB can avoid relegation Tomas might make his move from Sporting Lisbon permanent. VfB almost made it 2-0 just before the half time break when Silas found himself clean through on goal but Frankfurt keeper Kevin Trapp saved with his legs, and the visitors were happy to still be in the game.
Frankfurt opened up the second half with more intensity and they were back in the game on 50 minutes when Randal Kolo Muani pulled a ball back into the danger area and Evan Ndicka fired home his first ever cup goal. And the visitors turned the game on its head when Daichi Kamada drove forward and took his chance from the edge of the box to send the Frankfurt fans wild. VfB pushed for a leveller but when they were caught on the break Kolo Muani was brought down in the area by keeper Fabian Bredlow who was booked, and then beaten from the spot by the man he fouled, and that made Kolo Muani the top scorer in the competition with six.
Enzo Millot kept the game alive with a deflected strike on 83 minutes but when Borna Sosa picked up a second yellow card their chances faded into the night.
Stuttgart are struggling in the Bundesliga, currently 15th and only a single point above Schalke in 17th, but they have a chance to pull away from trouble when they visit bottom club Hertha Berlin on Saturday. Eintracht are in ninth and have drifted out of European contention after a run of six league games without a win, and next up they have a tough game away to TSG Hoffenheim.
Yes, as the cup action goes to one side again and the Bundesliga is back on the agenda there are some fascinating clashes to come this weekend, including the Freiburg/Red Bull rematch; so keep it here at SBOTOP for all the previews, best range of betting odds and the eye-catching action. But, for now, the celebrations are well underway in Leipzig and Frankfurt.
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