A green and white night in Berlin: VfL Wolfsburg have won the DFB Cup for the first time in the club’s history. The Wolves prevailed 3-1 in the 72nd DFB Cup Final over Borussia Dortmund in front of 85,915 spectators at the Olympiastadion courtesy of goals from Luiz Gustavo, Kevin De Bruyne and Bas Dost. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had brought BVB into the lead early on.
While 35,000 Borussia fans inside the Olympiastadion experienced frustration and disappointment following the final whistle and the end of Jürgen Klopp’s final game in charge, the there were no limits to the celebrations inside of the green and white Wolfsburg block. The players danced on the pitch and celebrated the perfect conclusion to an impressive season with 2nd place in the Bundesliga and directly qualifying for the Champions League group stages. Manager Dieter Hecking also lifted his first trophy in his managerial career. VfL’s first DFB Cup final in the 1994/95 campaign ended in a 3-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach under then coach Gerd Roggensack.
Aubameyang shocks the Wolves
As expected, BVB manager Klopp opted for cup specialist Mitchell Langerak in net in place of World Cup winner Roman Weidenfeller. For Wolfsburg, Naldo was in the starting XI, whose inclusion was a doubt in recent days due to knee pain.
BVB scored the opening goal with the first meaningful attack of the game. From a Shinji Kagawa assist, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left VfL keeper Diego Benaglio without a chance. The Lower Saxony club’s reply followed two minutes later but Mitch Langerak displayed superb reactions to deny former teammate Ivan Perisic.
Cup final record equalled: Four goals before the break
The 75,815 fans witnessed a "great final", something managers from both clubs predicted prior to the match. The teams made an attacking start to the encounter, with Dortmund the more pressing of the two. Acquiring the ball in the midfield was quickly turned into a rapid attack, as it was in the 18th minute, when Marco Reus shot over the bar when unmarked from eleven metres out.
A set pieces paved the way for the equaliser at the other end. A powerful 25-metre free kick from Naldo was only parried by Langerak, Luiz Gustavo reacted quickly and netted. De Bruyne, who had produced little of note previously in the game, gave the Wolves a 2-1 lead with a long-range shot from 18 metres out. Wolfsburg grew into the game after equalising and even scored to deservedly make it 3-1. There have only ever been four goals in the first half of a DFB Cup Final on one previous occasion: BVB led 3-1 at the break against Bayern in 2012 (final score 5-2).
Second title for Wolfsburg and Benaglio following 2009 championship
Dortmund didn’t admit defeat and created further chances through their two best players in the form of Aubameyang and Kagawa, but they did not come to anything. BVB failed to achieve the happy ending in a tough season, during which they even propped up the Bundesliga season at one point. It’s the second time in succession BVB have lost in the final, following a 2-0 defeat to FC Bayern München in 2014.
As a consolation, Dortmund still qualify to the Europa League, which they achieved through finishing seventh in the top flight. VfL Wolfsburg take Dortmund’s place in next season’s Champions League, something BVB had established in recent seasons. Wolfsburg have now won their second major title following the German Championship in 2009 – also with Diego Benaglio in goal back then.
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A green and white night in Berlin: VfL Wolfsburg have won the DFB Cup for the first time in the club’s history. The Wolves prevailed 3-1 in the 72nd DFB Cup Final over Borussia Dortmund in front of 85,915 spectators at the Olympiastadion courtesy of goals from Luiz Gustavo, Kevin De Bruyne and Bas Dost. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had brought BVB into the lead early on.
While 35,000 Borussia fans inside the Olympiastadion experienced frustration and disappointment following the final whistle and the end of Jürgen Klopp’s final game in charge, the there were no limits to the celebrations inside of the green and white Wolfsburg block. The players danced on the pitch and celebrated the perfect conclusion to an impressive season with 2nd place in the Bundesliga and directly qualifying for the Champions League group stages. Manager Dieter Hecking also lifted his first trophy in his managerial career. VfL’s first DFB Cup final in the 1994/95 campaign ended in a 3-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach under then coach Gerd Roggensack.
Aubameyang shocks the Wolves
As expected, BVB manager Klopp opted for cup specialist Mitchell Langerak in net in place of World Cup winner Roman Weidenfeller. For Wolfsburg, Naldo was in the starting XI, whose inclusion was a doubt in recent days due to knee pain.
BVB scored the opening goal with the first meaningful attack of the game. From a Shinji Kagawa assist, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left VfL keeper Diego Benaglio without a chance. The Lower Saxony club’s reply followed two minutes later but Mitch Langerak displayed superb reactions to deny former teammate Ivan Perisic.
Cup final record equalled: Four goals before the break
The 75,815 fans witnessed a "great final", something managers from both clubs predicted prior to the match. The teams made an attacking start to the encounter, with Dortmund the more pressing of the two. Acquiring the ball in the midfield was quickly turned into a rapid attack, as it was in the 18th minute, when Marco Reus shot over the bar when unmarked from eleven metres out.
A set pieces paved the way for the equaliser at the other end. A powerful 25-metre free kick from Naldo was only parried by Langerak, Luiz Gustavo reacted quickly and netted. De Bruyne, who had produced little of note previously in the game, gave the Wolves a 2-1 lead with a long-range shot from 18 metres out. Wolfsburg grew into the game after equalising and even scored to deservedly make it 3-1. There have only ever been four goals in the first half of a DFB Cup Final on one previous occasion: BVB led 3-1 at the break against Bayern in 2012 (final score 5-2).
Second title for Wolfsburg and Benaglio following 2009 championship
Dortmund didn’t admit defeat and created further chances through their two best players in the form of Aubameyang and Kagawa, but they did not come to anything. BVB failed to achieve the happy ending in a tough season, during which they even propped up the Bundesliga season at one point. It’s the second time in succession BVB have lost in the final, following a 2-0 defeat to FC Bayern München in 2014.
As a consolation, Dortmund still qualify to the Europa League, which they achieved through finishing seventh in the top flight. VfL Wolfsburg take Dortmund’s place in next season’s Champions League, something BVB had established in recent seasons. Wolfsburg have now won their second major title following the German Championship in 2009 – also with Diego Benaglio in goal back then.
