VfB Stuttgart 2-1 SC Freiburg Player Ratings: Deniz Undav 9.0/10 MOTM as Stuttgart Clinch Dramatic 2-1 Extra-Time Victory

What a rollercoaster of a DFB Pokal semi-final. This was a classic cup tie, filled with drama, tension, and a late, late winner. VfB Stuttgart had to dig incredibly deep to book their place in the final, coming from behind to beat a resilient SC Freiburg side 2-1 after extra time at the MHPArena. It was a game that swung back and forth, a true battle of wills.

SC Freiburg stunned the home crowd by taking the lead. Maximilian Eggestein pounced in the 28th minute following a corner, and for a long while, it looked like their disciplined defensive shape might just be enough. They absorbed immense pressure, with Stuttgart throwing everything they had at them. The breakthrough for the home side finally came in the second half. Deniz Undav, who was a menace all night, found the equalizer in the 70th minute to send the stadium into a frenzy and the match into extra time.

The additional 30 minutes were fraught with exhaustion and desperation. Chances came and went, woodwork was rattled, and goalkeepers were forced into heroic saves. Just when penalties seemed inevitable, substitute Tiago Tomás became the hero, slotting home in the 119th minute to break Freiburg hearts and seal a memorable victory for Stuttgart. It was a fittingly dramatic end to a spectacular DFB Pokal encounter. Here are Sportsdunia's VfB Stuttgart vs SC Freiburg player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Deniz Undav was clinical throughout the game and received a much-deserved 9.0/10 rating.
• Tiago Tomas goal in the 119th minute broke the hearts of Freiburg fans present in the stadium.

VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings vs SC Freiburg

Check out the VfB Stuttgart player ratings vs SC Freiburg.

Goalkeeper

Alexander Nübel - 7.0: Couldn't do much about the goal, which was a point-blank finish. He was reliable when called upon, making three important saves inside the box. His distribution was decent under pressure, and he commanded his area well, especially with his 11 ball recoveries.

Defenders

Ramon Hendriks - 7.0: A really solid performance before he had to be substituted. What stood out to us was his composure on the ball and his strength in the challenge, winning two-thirds of his duels. Picked up a yellow card for a necessary foul, showing he's not afraid to do the dirty work.

Maximilian Mittelstädt - 6.5: A very busy night for him down the left flank. He was constantly involved, with over 100 touches, but the end product was often missing. While he sent in a high volume of crosses, his high number of possessions lost shows it was a mixed bag of a performance.

Jeff Chabot - 8.5: An absolute colossus at the back. From our perspective, he was a defensive wall. He made a staggering 12 clearances, 4 blocked shots, and won 5 tackles. He read the game magnificently and was a huge reason Freiburg didn't score more. A truly dominant display.

Midfielders

Angelo Stiller - 7.5: The heartbeat of the Stuttgart midfield. He dictated the tempo with over 100 passes and was the link between defense and attack. He'll be kicking himself for missing a big chance, but his control and composure in the middle of the park were vital for the comeback.

Chris Führich - 7.0: A frustrating player to watch tonight. He was a constant threat and got into brilliant positions, but his finishing let him down badly. He had five shots, hit the woodwork, and missed three big chances. On another day he could have had a hat-trick, but tonight it was a story of what could have been.

Atakan Karazor - 8.0: A true captain's display. He was everywhere, engaging in 24 duels and dominating in the air. We noticed his tireless running and crucial interceptions that broke up countless Freiburg attacks. He led by example with his sheer grit and determination.

Jamie Leweling - 8.0: Stuttgart's main creative outlet. He was a livewire, creating an incredible five chances and two big chances for his teammates. He constantly tormented the Freiburg defence, drawing fouls and delivering dangerous balls into the box. An exceptional performance.

Forwards

Ermedin Demirovic - 6.0: He ran his socks off but struggled to make a telling impact on the game. A couple of missed shots summed up his night, and he didn't quite have the cutting edge required before being substituted. A quiet outing for the attacker.

Deniz Undav - 9.0: Simply sensational. He was the best player on the pitch. He scored the vital equalizer with a clinical finish, created five chances for others, and was a relentless pest to the Freiburg backline. His energy and quality were on another level. A clear Man of the Match performance.

Nikolas Nartey - 6.0: A fairly anonymous 63 minutes. He struggled to get into the game and didn't offer the creative spark needed. The game seemed to pass him by a little, and his booking was a sign of his frustration.

Substitutes

Bilal El Khannouss - 7.5: Came on and changed the game almost immediately, providing the clever assist for Undav's equalizer. Looked bright and confident on the ball.

Tiago Tomás - 8.0: The super sub, the hero. What an impact. To come on and score the 119th-minute winner in a cup semi-final is the stuff of dreams. Ice cold composure when it mattered most.

Luca Jaquez - N/A: Not on long enough to receive a rating.

Badredine Bouanani - N/A: Arrived too late to make an impact.

Josha Vagnoman - N/A: Brought on in the dying moments.

Manager

S. Hoeneß - 8.5: His decisions won his team the match. The introduction of El Khannouss unlocked the Freiburg defence, and bringing on Tiago Tomás proved to be a masterstroke. He reacted perfectly to going behind and his changes were brave and decisive.

SC Freiburg Player Ratings vs VfB Stuttgart

Here are the SC Freiburg player ratings vs VfB Stuttgart.

Goalkeeper

Florian Müller - 8.5: A truly heroic effort in a losing cause. He made seven saves, many of them spectacular, to keep his team in the game for so long. It felt like he was single-handedly repelling the Stuttgart attack at times. A brilliant, heartbreaking performance.

Defenders

Philipp Lienhart - 7.0: A solid and committed display at the heart of the defence. He made 11 clearances and was a commanding presence. He even hit the woodwork at the other end. It was a tough night against a relentless attack, but he stood up well.

Matthias Ginter - 8.0: A monster performance. He was incredible at both ends of the pitch. Defensively, he was a rock with 14 clearances and 5 interceptions. Going forward, he provided the assist for the opening goal. A complete performance from the veteran.

Philipp Treu - 6.5: Fought hard and put his body on the line, winning a good number of his duels and making seven clearances. It was a shame to see him forced off with an injury after such a battling display. He gave everything he had.

Jordy Makengo - 5.5: From our perspective, he had a really difficult evening. He struggled against Stuttgart's wingers, got an early yellow card, and never looked comfortable. His night was cut short by injury, which perhaps summed up his struggles.

Midfielders

Maximilian Eggestein - 7.5: Scored the crucial opening goal with a real poacher's instinct. He worked tirelessly in midfield, covering a huge amount of ground and contributing both defensively and offensively. A top performance, despite missing a big chance later on.

Yuito Suzuki - 6.0: A mixed bag. He showed flashes of quality and created three chances, but he was also very wasteful in possession, losing the ball 19 times. There's talent there, but the end product was inconsistent tonight.

Niklas Beste - 6.5: Looked a threat when he was on the pitch, creating a couple of decent opportunities. His energy was good, but he was eventually substituted as Freiburg looked to manage the latter stages of the game.

Vincenzo Grifo - 6.5: The captain tried to be the creative force, setting up three chances. However, he was often on the fringes of the game and couldn't impose his usual quality on the proceedings before being taken off.

Johan Manzambi - 6.0: An industrious but frustrating performance. He was excellent at drawing fouls, winning six of them, but his use of the ball was poor. He worked hard for the team but lacked the final product to make a real difference.

Forwards

Igor Matanovic - 6.5: A real handful. He used his physicality to win a remarkable 10 aerial duels and was a constant nuisance. However, his discipline was poor, committing five fouls and picking up a yellow card, and his finishing was wayward.

Substitutes

Lucas Höler - 5.5: Came on to add fresh legs but offered very little attacking threat and picked up a booking.

Christian Günter - 6.0: Brought on for the injured Makengo and was solid enough, though he did commit a couple of fouls.

Lukas Kübler - 6.0: Added some defensive steel late on but couldn't prevent the winning goal.

Bruno Ogbus - N/A: Not on long enough to receive a rating.

Manager

J. Schuster - 6.5: His game plan was almost perfect. His team defended with incredible heart and discipline and were moments away from a penalty shootout. However, they were ultimately worn down, and his substitutes couldn't turn the tide back in Freiburg's favour.

Man of the Match

Deniz Undav was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Jordy Makengo was the worst performer.