Pejcinovic’s hat‑trick shatters Rostock’s cup hopes in DFB‑Pokal

Stuttgarts Pejcinovic shattered the Rostocker Pokal‑Träume on 21 August 2026 as his hat‑trick secured VfB Stuttgart’s 4‑0 away win over Hansa Rostock, sending the Swabian side into the second round of the DFB‑Pokal. The newcomer, signed for 25 Millionen Euro from Bundesliga‑Absteiger VfL Wolfsburg, delivered the decisive performance.

Der VfB Stuttgart dominated the Spiel from the start, with the first goal arriving after a defensive error by the Rostocker side. Tiago Tomas passed to Pejcinovic, who slotted the ball from 14 metres past goalkeeper Luca Unbehaun for the 1‑0 lead. Pejcinovic added two more in the first half, finding the net in the 18th and 38th minutes, before Tomas doubled the lead in the 74th minute and Pejcinovic sealed the 4‑0 final in the 82nd. The result secured the Mannschaft’s Erfolg and propelled them into the second Runde of the DFB‑Pokals.

Rostocker attempts were limited, with goalkeeper Luca Unbehaun denying a long‑range effort from defender Jeff Chabot that struck the post in the 25th minute. Later, Deniz Undav set up Pejcinovic for the second goal, the 21‑Jährige striker finishing calmly from 14 metres. Rostock’s Yannick Michaelis saved a close‑range chance in the 41st minute, only for VfB goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow to make a goldrichtig save shortly after. Despite a stronger second‑half performance, the Drittligist could not create a decisive Spiel, and Bredlow remained solid when called upon.

In a ZDF interview, Pejcinovic said, "Wichtig war dass wir weiter gekommen sind. Man zahlt das Vertrauen als Stürmer am besten mit Toren zurück. Das ist mir ganz gut gelungen. Rostock hat es uns schwer gemacht. Aber wir haben es dann klar gemacht". The visibly satisfied striker highlighted the importance of repaying the club’s trust with goals.

Trainer Sebastian Hoeneß praised his Mannschaft’s maturity and noted that the performance set a positive tone for the upcoming Pokal campaign. Hoene, the assistant coach, added that the team’s defensive organization was key. Die fans celebrated the comprehensive Auswärtssieg, while Und und Eine chorus of chants echoed through the stadium. He also described Einen standout effort from the young forward as a sign of future promise.