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The DFB Pokal will see a new winner in 2024 after the two-time defending champions RB Leipzig lost to VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday. Leipzig came into the season with the goal to add another trophy for the season. While they are still in contention for the Bundesliga title, Leipzig will not be able to repeat as cup champions for the third straight year.
Wolfsburg Score the Lone Goal in the First Half
Coming into this game, Wolfsburg lost four of their last five matches in league play. Wolfsburg currently sit ninth in the Bundesliga, while Leipzig are fifth.
Leipzig started on the front foot in this game, which was not surprising given their strong attack this season. They put up three shots in the first nine minutes, though only one shot went on target. Wolfsburg controlled the ball more in the next five minutes, and they scored in the 14th minute.
Forward Tiago Tomas sent a brilliant through ball to winger Vaclav Cerny, who fired the ball into the back of the net with his left foot. Wolfsburg took a surprising lead against Leipzig just 14 minutes in. Wolfsburg continued their momentum, as Yannick Gerhardt received a cross from Ridle Baku, but Gerhardt could not direct the shot to the goal.
Cerny almost got a second goal in the 24th minute after a miscommunication between Leipzig’s goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and defender Castello Lukeba. Lukeba hit the ball out for a corner after Cerny slipped and could not make contact with the ball.
After that chance, Wolfsburg had two shots on a corner ten minutes later, but neither tested Gulacsi. Leipzig trailed 1-0 at the break and put just one shot on target the whole half.
Leipzig Go Down to Ten Men
Both teams split possession in the first few minutes of the second half. Similar to the first half, Leipzig created chances to start the second half. Left back David Raum struck the ball off Baku and it went off the crossbar. In the 49th minute, Benjamin Henrichs sent a cross in for Leipzig, but forward Yussuf Poulsen could not hit the shot toward the net.
The game changed in the 56th minute when Leipzig went down to ten men. Poulsen got his first booking in the 42nd minute and then got sent off after a tackle on Wolfsburg’s Mattias Svanberg. Wolfsburg created two chances after that, but Jakub Kaminski could not bend the ball in off the far post. Leipzig gave the ball away a minute after that chance, but Gulacsi did well to read the ball after a deflection.
Leipzig got another big chance in the 71st minute, but forward Lois Openda hit his shot high after a cross from a free kick. Wolfsburg defended really well after that, and Leipzig struggled to test Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Pavao Pervan. The offsides trap frustrated Leipzig in the final 20 minutes, as Wolfsburg caught them off on five instances.
In the six added minutes in stoppage time, Wolfsburg had a chance to double their lead. Substitute forward Jonas Wind hammered a shot but it came off the right post. Despite the miss, Leipzig could not muster anything in stoppage time.
Wolfsburg stunned RB Leipzig 1-0 and knocked them out of the DFB Pokal. Leipzig will play an away match on the road against Mainz in their next league match on Saturday. Wolfsburg will host Bremen on Sunday in their next match.
