What a rollercoaster! Stuttgart barely scraped through the first round of the German Cup, making a visit to lower-league Braunschweig a true test of nerves. The game was a wild ride, with the scoreboard flipping back and forth like a ping-pong match. In the end, it took a tense penalty shootout, where Stuttgart finally won 8-7 after a crazy 4-4 draw through extra time. You could feel the relief all the way from the stadium.
Tiago Tomás started the match and stayed on the field until the 96th minute. His team, Stuttgart, fell behind early, then fought back to take the lead. But Braunschweig simply refused to quit. It looked like Stuttgart might be heading for an early exit until Woltemade came to the rescue. He scored the crucial equalizer, making it 3-3 in the 89th minute, forcing the game into extra time. Braunschweig’s goals came from Kohler in the 8th minute, Di Michele with two in the 77th and 85th minutes, and Conteh in the 104th. For Stuttgart, Demirovic found the net twice, in the 11th and 60th minutes. Then, a touch of luck or maybe brilliant play turned things around. Sanoussy Ba scored an own goal in the 92nd minute, all thanks to a fantastic play by Tiago Tomás down the right wing.
Bayern, The Clear Favorite
Meanwhile, over in Munich, Bayern is in a different universe. They kicked off their season by winning the Supercup. Then, they absolutely crushed Leipzig 6-0 in the first Bundesliga match. This Wednesday, Bayern wraps up the first round of the Cup. They’ll be visiting Wehen Wiesbaden, a team from the third division.
Their coach, Vincent Kompany, isn’t taking anything for granted, even with a strong squad that includes Raphaël Guerreiro. He understands the situation. Kompany stated, “It is clear that we are the favorites. The pressure is on us to perform.” He added a crucial piece of advice for his team. “Motivation must always be present. That is the only way to avoid mistakes.” It seems even the biggest teams need a reality check now and then.