RB Leipzig managed to get out of the crisis in the DFB Cup and made it to the quarter-finals. The team of the recently criticized coach Marco Rose surprisingly won 3-0 (1-0) against Eintracht Frankfurt and thus achieved the long-awaited success after six competitive games without a win. Benjamin Sesko (31st) and Loïs Openda (50th, 58th) redeemed the Leipzig team, who came one step closer to the third cup victory in the club’s history. Eintracht, who are currently enjoying success in the Bundesliga and in Europe, left the field as losers for the first time in a long time.
Four days after Leipzig’s biggest home defeat against VfL Wolfsburg (1:5) in the Bundesliga, RB was clearly trying to make amends and took control of the situation from the start. There was little to see offensively from Frankfurt. RB captain Willi Orban (17th) tried to head it, but Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp was there. A little later, Openda scored to give Leipzig the supposed lead, but the VAR called in. The goal did not count due to an offside position. The hosts didn’t let up – and Sesko rewarded their offensive efforts.
Immediately after the half-time break, Leipzig followed suit. Antonio Nusa, who entered the penalty area at speed, passed to Openda and the Belgian increased for the hosts. Shortly afterwards, the striker struck again and, after his second goal, ran towards coach Rose, who shortly afterwards disappeared into a crowd of cheering fans. Trapp prevented an even greater deficit against Henrichs (69th).
Late penalty: Cologne wins in extra time
1. FC Köln is in the quarter-finals 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 with an own goal from Florian Niederlechner (30th). The decision came very late.
Wolfsburg wins Bundesliga duel
Thanks also to a mistake by national goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, VfL Wolfsburg reached the quarter-finals. Four days after the 5-1 win at RB Leipzig, coach Ralph Hasenhüttl’s team won 3-0 (0-0) against league rivals TSG Hoffenheim. In a long, low-class game, Denis Vavro took the lead (63′) in front of 13,909 spectators in the Wolfsburg Arena; TSG captain Baumann’s central free kick slipped through the hands of TSG captain Baumann. Substitutes Jonas Wind (67th) and Yannick Gerhardt (85th) made the decision. The Wolves remained unbeaten in their seventh competitive game in a row – and can continue to dream of their second cup triumph after 2015.
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