VfB Stuttgart
1-0 | Gentner | (18. Min) |
2-0 | Ibisevic | (81. Min) |
VfL Bochum
Christian Gentner scores against Bochum.
VfB make the final four
VfB have made it to the semi-final stage of the DFB-Cup! With a 2-0 win over second division VfL Bochum, VfB Stuttgart secured their place amongst the final four teams in the competition.
In comparison to the side that began at the weekend, Bruno Labbadia made two changes to his starting eleven, with Shinji Okazaki and Arthur Boka returning in place of Raphael Holzhauser and Cristian Molinaro.
There was little action in front of either goal in the opening minutes, aside from a shot from distance by Christian Gentner. Ibrahima Traoré had fed the stand-in captain but the effort was blocked away. The resulting corner was met by Martin Harnik but there was little danger from his attempt.
Gentner opens the scoring
The next VfB attack was to prove a vital one. Ibrahima Traoré laid a pass off to Christian Gentner, who let fly. The shot took a wicked deflection off a defender and looped curiously over the head of the keeper to give VfB a 1-0 (18’) lead which they would take into the half-time break.
Diashow
Ibisevic increases the advantage
VfB were again the controlling team after the break and with an hour on the clock, the bulk of the 20,000 fans at the Mercedes-Benz Arena were again prepared to celebrate following a Harnik header, but there was a Bochum player perfectly placed on the goal-line to head clear. Five minutes later, Ibrahima Traoré fired over from the edge of the box whilst at the other end, a headed clearance was necessary to avert the danger from the visitors (71’).
VfB goalkeeper Sven Ulreich: “Bochum were well drilled and made life difficult for us but we knew beforehand that it wouldn’t be easy." Post match comments
In the 81st minute, a rousing chorus of “Berlin, Berlin” rang around the Arena, after VfB had doubled their advantage over the second division hopefuls. At the end of an excellently executed move through Harnik and Traoré, Ibisevic arrived in the box and connect as only an expert striker can to make it 2-0.
In the 85th minute, Michael Delura fired over the VfB crossbar, but there was little real danger for Sven Ulreich’s goal. Following a late attempt from Ibrahima Traoré, which was cancelled out, and the introduction of Raphael Holzhauser (90’), the referee blew the final whistle on what may not have been an attractive tie, but one which saw VfB progress to the last four in the competition.