Freiburg 1-1 RB Leipzig (aet, 2-4 pens): Tedesco’s side seal first-ever DFB-Pokal triumph

Freiburg,
who
were
competing
in
their
first-ever
major
final,
went
ahead
in
the
19th
minute
thanks
to
Maximilian
Eggestein’s
fine
strike,
despite
a
clear
handball
from
Roland
Sallai
in
the
build-up.

Leipzig
were
reduced
to
10
men
shortly
before
the
hour
mark
when
Marcel
Halstenberg
received
a
straight
red
card
for
pulling
down
a
clean-through
Lucas
Holer,
yet
they
levelled
in
the
76th
minute
through
Christopher
Nkunku.

Domenico
Tedesco’s
men
had
lost
two
finals
in
the
last
three
years,
but
they
finally
got
their
hands
on
the
trophy
at
the
Olympiastadion
as
Freiburg’s
Christian
Gunter
and
Ermedin
Demirovic
missed
their
spot-kicks
in
the
shoot-out.

Despite
a
good
start
from
Leipzig,
it
was
Freiburg
who
took
the
lead
when
Eggestein
superbly
curled
a
shot
into
Peter
Gulacsi’s
bottom-right
corner
from
20
yards,
the
goal
given
despite
Sallai
inadvertently
handling
the
ball
moments
before
the
decisive
strike.

Leipzig
were
furious
the
goal
was
not
chalked
off,
but
almost
pulled
level
soon
after
when
Nkunku
clipped
past
Mark
Flekken,
only
for
a
covering
Nico
Schlotterbeck
to
clear
the
ball
off
the
line.

Tedesco’s
side
were
dealt
a
blow
in
the
57th
minute
when
Halstenberg
saw
red
after
hauling
down
Holer
following
a
long
ball
over
the
top.

They
shrugged
off
their
numerical
disadvantage
to
pull
level,
though,
with
Nkunku
prodding
in
at
the
back
post
after
Willi
Orban’s
header
had
looped
over
Flekken.

Demirovic
and
Janik
Haberer
both
struck
the
post
for
Freiburg
in
the
first
half
of
extra
time,
while
the
latter
thundered
against
the
crossbar
in
the
second
half.

Leipzig
were
incensed
when
referee
Sascha
Stegemann
opted
not
to
give
a
penalty
for
Nicolas
Hofler’s
challenge
on
Dani
Olmo
deep
into
extra
time,
despite
taking
a
look
at
the
pitch-side
screen,
with
Kevin
Kampl,
who
had
already
been
substituted,
given
a
second
yellow
card
for
his
protestations.

They
had
more
luck
in
the
shoot-out
soon
after,
though,
with
Gunter
blasting
over
and
Demirovic
crashing
against
the
crossbar
to
give
Leipzig
an
historic
win.

What
does
it
mean?
Third
time
lucky
for
Leipzig

Leipzig
were
determined
to
avoid
a
hat-trick
of
DFB-Pokal
final
defeats
in
the
space
of
four
years,
and
their
dramatic
triumph
means
they
are
the
26th
different
club
to
lift
the
trophy.

Aged
36
years
and
251
days,
Tedesco
is
the
youngest
head
coach
to
win
the
competition
since
Fortuna
Dusseldorf’s
Hans-Dieter
Tippenhauer
in
1979.

Nkunku
shines
again

Nkunku
has
been
linked
with
some
of
the
biggest
clubs
in
Europe
after
a
stunning
season,
and
he
was
at
his
best
again
here.
The
France
international’s
decisive
equaliser
came
from
a
team-high
four
shots,
while
he
also
made
two
key
passes
–
a
tally
bettered
by
only
one
of
his
team-mates
(Orban).

Halstenberg’s
blushes
spared

No-one
will
be
more
relieved
at
Leipzig’s
triumph
than
Halstenberg.
The
defender
put
his
side
in
all
sorts
of
trouble
when
he
received
his
marching
orders
with
Freiburg
a
goal
up.
His
team-mates
roared
back
superbly,
however,
to
claim
the
trophy.

What’s
next?

A
buoyant
Leipzig
have
a
Champions
League
campaign
to
look
forward
to
next
term,
while
Freiburg
will
compete
in
the
Europa
League
in
the
2022-23
season
after
a
sixth-placed
finish
in
the
Bundesliga.