RB Leipzig 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt: Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai on target to secure repeat German Cup win
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Updated 03/06/2023 at 20:59 GMT
RB Leipzig successfully defended the DFB Pokal thanks to two second half goals to beat Frankfurt in Berlin. A cagey first half ended goalless with neither side able to make the breakthrough, however, Christopher Nkunku put Leipzig in front late on before Dominik Szoboszlai sealed victory and back-to-back wins in the final for the club.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) applauds as Leipzig's players celebrate with the trophy after their team won the German Cup (DFB Pokal) final football match RB Leipzig v Eintracht Frankfurt in Berlin, Germany, on June 3, 2023.
Image credit: Getty Images
RB Leipzig defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in the DFB-Pokal final to lift the trophy for the second successive season, with Christopher Nkunku playing a starring role.
The best chance of a tense first half fell to Timo Werner in the fourth minute, but the striker could muster only a tame effort which was easily saved after being slipped one-on-one by Dominik Szoboszlai at the end of a rapid counter-attack.
Frankfurt improved after the break and found themselves in the ascendancy. Mario Gotze came closest to scoring for the team in white, but volleyed straight at the goalkeeper.
Eintracht were left to rue not making their dominance pay as they were hit with a sucker-punch goal 20 minutes from time. Nkunku cut inside past several defenders before shooting and the effort was twice deflected before finding the net, with Kevin Trapp left stranded.
Nkunku turned provider in the closing moments, setting up Szoboszlai to double the lead with an assured finish and make sure of a Leipzig victory.
It is only Leipzig's second DFB-Pokal triumph, but they have now won back-to-back finals after being on the losing side in 2019 and 2021.
For Eintracht Frankfurt, defeat also means they must settle for a place in next season's Europa Conference League. Bayer Levekusen instead qualify for the Europa League based on a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga.
TALKING POINT - Leipzig are becoming serial winners
RB Leipzig have firmly established themselves as one of Germany's leading clubs, finishing in the Bundesliga's top four for five consecutive seasons, and now they are making a name for themselves as a team who win trophies as well.
Getting over the hump has not been easy; they lost the 2021 and 2019 finals heavily and have also suffered semi-final heartbreak in both the Champions League and Europa League recently. But after breaking that duck, a second title came a lot easier than the first and Leipzig's assured performance offered vindication for Marco Rose's pre-match insistence that his team "know how to win the title".
On the evidence of today, and an end-of-season run which saw them win 10 of their last 11 games, this may well be just the start for Leipzig.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
With a goal and an assist, Nkunku was the difference in what is expected to be his last game for RB Leipzig. There was a big slice of luck with the goal, but he created that luck by coming inside to find the room to shoot. There was no luck in the assist - Nkunku showed admirable composure and a selfless streak to put a chance on a plate for Szoboszlai.
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Christopher Nkunku celebfrates in goal in the DFB-Pokal final
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
RB Leipzig: Blaswich 6, Henrichs 7, Klostermann 7, Orban 6, Halstenberg 6, Laimer 6, Haidara 7, Szoboszlai 7, Olmo 5, Nkunku 8, Werner 5. Subs: Poulsen 7, Schlager 6, Kampl n/a.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp 6, Tuta 7, Hasabe 6, Ndicka 6, Buta 6, Sow 6, Rode 5, Max 6, Kamada 6, Gotze 6, Kolo Muani 7. Subs: Lindstrom 5, Borre 5, Lenz 5, Ebimbe n/a.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
WERNER WASTES GREAT CHANCE 4' - Leipzig and Szoboszlai launch a rapid counter-attack. It's four on three and Szoboszlai slips in Werner, who opens up his body and hits it first time, but it's a tame effort and easily saved.
NKUNKU SHOT DEFLECTED WIDE 42' - Leipzig's best attack for some time sees Laimer find an unmarked Nkunku, but as Nkunku shapes to shoot from just inside the box Tuta gets across to deflect the effort behind for a corner.
GOTZE DENIED 64' - Kolo Muani lays a cross off for Gotze, who volleys straight at Blaswich and the goalkeeper beats the ball away. Gotze hit it sweetly, but the goalkeeper was in the ideal position.
LEIPZIG TAKE THE LEAD 71' - A Leipzig break looks to have lost momentum, before Nkunku cuts inside, runs past several defenders and then takes a shot which is deflected twice and bobbles past the helpless Trapp into the net.
LEIPZIG DOUBLE THEIR LEAD 85' - Henrichs wins the ball in the Frankfurt half to set up an attack. After some crisp passing, Nkunku slips in an unmarked Szoboszlai and the Hungarian makes no mistake.
KET STAT
Nkunku has scored in each of his last four DFB-Pokal appearances.
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