DFB Cup: Cologne and Hertha continue to fight – Leipzig

1. FC Köln is in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup for the first time in 14 years. In the only second division duel of this round, the Bundesliga relegated team won 2-1 (1-1, 1-1) after extra time against Hertha BSC, who had to play outnumbered for almost 100 minutes. Dejan Ljubicic redeemed Cologne, who had been hapless for a long time, with a late penalty in extra time.

The Austrian had previously missed a goal that he thought was certain when he was unable to push the ball into the empty goal from very close range (100th). Hertha’s Deyovaisio Zeefuik was shown red early (25th minute) after an attack. Berlin had previously taken the lead through Ibrahim Maza with a penalty kick (12th). After the red card, Cologne equalized in front of 50,000 spectators with an own goal from Florian Niederlechner (30th).

In the first half in particular, both teams showed a fast-paced and exciting duel, which petered out somewhat after the first break. With the Cologne team in the majority, they let the ball run and Hertha found little relief. However, the FC mostly acted unimaginatively and too imprecisely. In extra time there was also incompetence: instead of pushing a sharp cross from Leart Paqarada into the empty goal, Ljubicic just stepped on the ball.

The traditional duel got off to a turbulent start. After just five minutes, Cologne’s Julian Pauli and Berlin’s Marton Dardai collided heads in an aerial duel. Pauli later had to be substituted with a laceration and a sore head, but before that he brought down Derry Scherhant in his own penalty area. Maza, who was only 19 years old, converted the penalty.

Just a few minutes later, Zeefuik committed a serious attack on Timo Hübers and was sent off. Thanks to an own goal from Niederlechner after a Cologne corner, the FC equalized shortly afterwards and later Ljubicic scored the winning goal.

VfL Wolfsburg, on the other hand, made it into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup without any problems. The Lower Saxony team prevailed 3-0 (0-0) in the Bundesliga duel with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. With the first goal by Denis Vavro (63′), VfL benefited from a mistake by national goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who let the ball slip through his hands. The other goals were scored by Jonas Wind (67th) and Yannick Gerhardt (85th).

With its 3-0 (1-0) win in the DFB Cup round of 16 against Eintracht Frankfurt, RB Leipzig not only sent an impressive signal in the crisis, but also saved the popular Rose’s job for the time being.

Benjamin Sesko (31st) and Openda (50th, 58th) scored the goals for the Saxons in front of only 37,187 spectators – a season minus record – and secured their deserved place in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, surprisingly little came from Frankfurt, who have been outstanding in the Bundesliga for weeks.

The fact that one of the currently weakest teams meets one of the strongest teams was not evident in Leipzig. At least not in the intended distribution of roles. Because it wasn’t Frankfurt, who had been undefeated for nine games, who dominated the action. But Leipzig – and therefore the team that has lost five of the last six competitive games.

Unlike recently in the Bundesliga and Champions League, RB started with great concentration. Because the pressing was right and the number of duels was also right, Eintracht didn’t come into the game at all. Leipzig restricted the opponent in their own half, almost like in the good old days. It was therefore only the logical consequence that Rose’s team took the lead.

After a wonderful solo, Sesko also went around Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp and pushed the ball flat into the net. Almost everything that RB had recently missed in the desolate 1:5 against Wolfsburg was now shown against Frankfurt. Eintracht, on the other hand, could not keep up with the fight and passion of the Saxons.

At the beginning, you couldn’t really blame coach Dino Toppmöller’s team, only that they acted a little too passively. The top scorers Hugo Ekitiké and especially Omar Marmoush, who has been outstanding for months, did not come into the game because Leipzig consistently attacked them. And then added more.

The strong Antonio Nusa penetrated the penalty area from the left and pushed flat into the center, where the incoming Openda made it 2-0 from close range. A little later, the Belgian struck brilliantly from a distance and hammered the ball into the net to make the decision. At least now one could make a big accusation against Eintracht, namely that of negligence.

FC Augsburg secured the last place in the quarter-finals. After a show of strength, the Bundesliga team prevailed 5-4 on penalties against their second division team, Karlsruher SC. After extra time the score was 2-2. Ruben Vargas equalized for Augsburg in extra time (120+3). Fabian Schleusener (54th) and Marvin Wanitzek (111th) turned the game around for KSC after Samuel Essende’s opening goal (40th).

Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, Werder Bremen and Arminia Bielefeld, the last remaining third division team in the competition, had already made it to the quarter-finals on Tuesday. The draw for the quarter-final pairings will take place on Sunday, December 15th.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated.