DFB-Pokal: Rostock outclassed by Stuttgart as new signing Pejcinovic scores hat-trick

FC Hansa Rostock's hopes for a DFB-Pokal upset were dashed as they fell 0-4 to Champions League participant VfB Stuttgart. The match, played in front of 27,453 spectators at the Ostseestadion, was dominated by Stuttgart's new 25-million-euro signing, Dzenan Pejcinovic, who netted a remarkable hat-trick in his competitive debut for the club.

Pejcinovic, acquired from VfL Wolfsburg, opened the scoring in the 18th minute and added another goal in the 37th minute. Tiago Tomas extended Stuttgart's lead to 3-0 in the second half before Pejcinovic completed his treble in the 82nd minute, capping off a dominant performance by the Bundesliga side.

Hansa's Andreas Voglsammer acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating, "We knew how tough it would be. We left our hearts on the pitch, but they were a class above us." Stuttgart, who won the DFB-Pokal in 2025 and reached the final in 2026, has a strong record in the competition, having lost only three of their last 22 cup matches.

Despite Stuttgart's overall control, marked by 71% possession in the first half, Rostock had moments of opportunity. Goalkeeper Luca Unbehaun made several key saves, including tipping a shot from Jeff Chabot onto the post. However, Rostock's inability to capitalize on their chances, particularly a missed opportunity by Leon Dajaku, proved costly against the formidable Stuttgart side.