Nurnberg won the DFB-Pokal for the first time in 45 years after edging an entertaining affair against the 10 men of Bundesliga champions Stuttgart.

The Bavarians needed extra-time to finally claim the advantage in one of the most exciting cup finals in recent years.

Cacau had put Stuttgart ahead in the 20th minute, but Marek Mintal soon replied before Cacau was given his marching orders on the half-hour mark.

It was advantage Nurnberg when Marco Engelhardt headed home two minutes after the break, but just as Hans Meyer's side were beginning to celebrate, Stuttgart were awarded a penalty which Pavel Pardo swept in to force extra-time.

A Jan Kristiansen strike just after the first period of extra-time then sealed the win for Nurnberg, earning them their first piece of silverware since 1968.

Having won the Bundesliga title seven days ago, Stuttgart were hoping to complete the double by breaking their seasonal jinx against Nurnberg.

The Bavarians were the only side to twice beat the Swabians in the Bundesliga this year.

It looked like that was about to change, though, when former Nurnberg striker Cacau beat the onrushing Rafael Schafer to put Armin Veh's side in front.

The lead lasted seven minutes before Mintal brought Nurnberg level, starting and finishing a move which involved Bastian Reinhardt sending in a cross from the wing for the Slovakian to divert in.

The turning point of the game came minutes later when Cacau was shown a red card for aiming a punch at Andreas Wolf.

With just 10 men, Stuttgart found it more difficult to create any chances.

Early in the second half, Engelhardt finally put Nurnberg ahead, heading Javier Pinola's cross past Timo Hildebrand.

The Nurnberg fans were beginning to celebrate when referee Felix Brych gave Stuttgart the chance to get back on terms from the spot.

Mario Gomez fell under the challenge of Schafer and, although the ball was running harmlessly out for a goal kick, the intervention was judged worthy of a spot-kick, and Pardo swept it in in the 80th minute.

Extra time it was, then, and once again it was Nurnberg who made their one-man advantage count, particularly as Stuttgart began to tire.

Four minutes into the second period, Kristiansen stole the morning headlines with a wonder-strike from almost 30 yards.

It was a goal worthy of winning any match and as it cannoned in off the underside of the bar, the Nurnberg fans began to celebrate, this time with the result not challenged.

Germany captain Michael Ballack has pulled out of two Euro 2008 qualifiers next month because he has not yet fully recovered from an operation on his ankle, the German Football Association (DFB) said on Thursday.

'Ballack informed coach Joachim Loew on Thursday that he will not be able to play,' DFB spokesman Harald Stenger said in a statement. 'He is continuing rehabilitation work in London after an operation on his left ankle.'

Germany host San Marino on June 2 and Slovakia four days later in qualifying Group D.

Earlier this month, the DFB had to defend team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt's decision to operate on Ballack, saying the player risked serious injury without immediate treatment.

British media had criticised the timing of the operation which deprived Chelsea of Ballack in the run-in to the end of the season. Some journalists suggested Ballack chose to have the surgery without consulting Chelsea officials.

Ballack injured his ankle against Newcastle United in a Premier League game on April 22.

He said he flew to Munich to see Mueller-Wohlfahrt -- the Germany team doctor as well as his doctor at former club Bayern Munich -- for a second opinion after there was no improvement for four days. He then underwent surgery.

Ballack had dismissed the criticism and said media suggestions that the DFB doctor wanted to ensure he would be ready for the European Championship qualifiers in June were absurd.

Ballack said he would never give up the chance to play in the FA Cup final or the Champions League semi-final for a match against San Marino.

Germany head Group D on goal difference with 13 points from five matches, the same as the Czech Republic and Ireland. The Czechs have played six matches and the Irish seven.

Ballack will join the team as a spectator.

'Ballack also told Loew that he will join the team meeting on Tuesday in Herzogenaurach -- and continue his training there as well as receive treatment from the DFB medical team,' Stenger added.

VfB Stuttgart won the Bundesliga title on the final day of the season on Saturday when a 2-1 comeback win over Energie Cottbus kept them two points ahead of runners-up Schalke 04.

Stuttgart were trailing 1-0 to Cottbus after Sergiu Radu deflected a pass to beat Timo Hildebrand in the 19th minute but Thomas Hitzlsperger soon equalised and Sami Khedira scored the winner just past the hour to hand them their first Bundesliga title in 15 years.

Stuttgart won their final eight matches to erase a seven-point deficit, moving up from third to overtake Werder Bremen and Schalke in a stunning finish. It was their fifth championship and third since the Bundesliga was founded in 1963. 'It's a tremendous feeling,' said Stuttgart coach Armin Veh. 'I'm thrilled for the team. They played consistently well and with passion all season.'

The victory unleashed euphoric celebrations in Stuttgart -- at the Gottlieb Daimler stadium and in the centre of the southwestern German city where tens of thousands followed the match at a World Cup-style public viewing area.

Stuttgart players poured beer and champagne on each other and coaches under bright blue skies. They celebrated with fans for more than an hour, climbing up onto fences before collecting the Bundesliga's championship 'Schale' (dish). 'It's insane what's going on here,' said Veh, who for superstitious reasons had not had his suit cleaned since September when a 12-match unbeaten streak at home began. Stuttgart now stand on the brink of a domestic double, with the Cup final to come against Nuremberg on May 26.

'I've always dreamed about a day like this,' said Hitzlsperger, who equalised with a blazing long-range volley just before the half-hour that sent 56,000 fans into a frenzy. 'It's just fantastic, by far the greatest day in my life,' added Hitzlsperger, a Germany midfielder who played at Aston Villa until 2005. 'We've worked hard and got rewarded for it.'

In between champagne and beer showers on the pitch, Hildebrand told arena television that Stuttgart had only set their sights on the championship at the end of the season. 'It's just crazy that we ended up winning it,' he said. 'We believed in our title chances more and more late in the season and kept getting better.'

Schalke, who beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-1, finished second for the third time in seven years after again squandering the lead late in the season. They were also overtaken by Bayern Munich twice after stumbling in 2001 and 2005. Schalke led the table for 15 of the 34 weeks but lost two of their last four matches. They took 18 points from the last 11.

They topped the standings for about nine minutes on Saturday when they stormed into an early 2-0 lead over Bielefeld while Stuttgart fell behind to Cottbus in their match some 300 kms away in southern Germany. Schalke knew they could win the championship if they beat Bielefeld by four goals and Stuttgart only drew with Cottbus. Lincoln put Schalke ahead 1-0 in the 12th minute and Halil Altintop doubled the lead four minutes later. But Schalke were unable to add to their lead and gave up a stoppage-time goal to Radim Kucera.

'I'm happy that we were able to give our fans some hope in the first half and that we were first for about nine minutes but it was still not enough,' said Schalke coach Mirko Slomka. 'With eighth straight victories, congratulations to Stuttgart - they deserved to win it,' he added. 'It's bitter. It shows you can't afford to give up any points.'

Schalke 04 held on to their one-point lead with two games to play in the Bundesliga thanks to a 1-0 win at home to Nuremberg on Saturday, as VfB Stuttgart kept up the heat with a 2-0 win over Mainz.

Bayern Munich's hopes of playing in the Champions League were effectively ended when they were held to a 1-1 draw at relegated Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Schalke, chasing their first title in the Bundesliga era, finally broke down the Nuremberg defence in the 64th minute when Kevin Kuranyi headed in from a Hamit Altintop cross.

Their nervy win was enough to keep them ahead of Stuttgart, who completed a more comfortable victory at home to Mainz thanks to goals from Fernando Meira and Roberto Hilbert.

With 32 of 34 matches played, Schalke lead with 65 points, followed by Stuttgart on 64. Werder Bremen, third on 60, will need to win at Hertha Berlin on Saturday to stay in with a realistic chance of the title.

Bayern are fourth on 54 points but with Werder enjoying a vastly superior goal difference the Bavarians know already they will have to be content with playing in the UEFA Cup next season.

Ottmar Hitzfeld's Munich side took the lead with a fine finish from Roy Makaay in the 12th minute. Even that early goal could not give them the shot of confidence they so clearly needed, though, and Gladbach grabbed a point when Peer Kluge turned inside the box and beat Michael Rensing at the far post.

Schalke could be forgiven for going into their game in a delicate frame of mind after their defeat against VfL Bochum last weekend.

They looked tentative early on against Nuremberg -- who shared with Schalke the best defensive record in the league going into the game -- and there were few clear chances in the first half.

Schalke did go close seven minutes before halftime when Lincoln floated over a free kick and Marcelo Bordon headed just wide at the far post but otherwise there was little to excite the 61,000 full house at the Arena AufSchalke.

The second half continued with the same tension before Altintop powered into space on the right and crossed for Kuranyi to get in just ahead of his marker and head home his 15th league goal of the season.

Schalke last won a German championship in the pre-Bundesliga, amateur days of 1958 and their chances of taking the title 49 years on could now rest on next weekend's derby away to resurgent Borussia Dortmund.

Should they fail, Stuttgart look well able to pounce after they racked up their sixth successive league win against Mainz.