Bielefeld stage next cupset to oust Bremen

Arminia Bielefeld 2-1 Werder Bremen
Goals: 1-0 Wörl (30'), 2-0 (o.g. Malatini 35'), 2-1 Burke 56' (assist: Bittencourt)

Having already eliminated Bundesliga 2 side Hannover and top-flight clubs Union Berlin and Freiburg en route to the quarter-finals, Bielefeld were by no means fazed by their more well-known visitors. After a hard-fought and evenly balanced opening period, things started to unravel for Bremen around the half-hour mark when talisman Marvin Ducksch had to be substituted off with injury. Joel Felix blazed a close-range header over the bar for the home side moments later, before Marius Wörl showed him how it was done a few seconds later. Robbing Júlian Malatini of possession wide on the Bremen right, the Bielefeld attacker cut inside and curled in a brilliant opener with an effort in off the far post. Worse was to come for Malatini, who inadvertently deflected a teasing right-wing cross into his own net to leave Bremen two goals down at the interval.

Bremen coach Ole Werner brought on Oliver Burke and Leo Bittencourt at half-time in a bid to turn the game around, and it was not long before their impact was felt. Moments after Justin Njinmah was denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Jonas Kersken, Bittencourt teed up Burke to lash in from just outside the six-yard box and give the second half a different complexion. Njinmah fired just wide with a well-struck volley as Werder tried to force an equaliser, but they had to remain alert at the back given Bielefeld’s ongoing threat on the counter. Amos Pieper very nearly forced extra time just moments after coming on as a late substitute, but he could only crash a header off the crossbar against his former club. The seven minutes of added time were as exhilarating as they were nail-biting, but ultimately Bielefeld held on to advance to the last four.

• Arminia’s Wörl has two goals and three assists in the cup this season. Only Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa has been involved in as many goals this campaign (five).
• Bielefeld have won their last four cup ties against Bundesliga clubs, including victories this season over Union Berlin (2-0) and Freiburg (3-1). 
• Alongside Saarbrücken, Arminia are the only other club to reach the semi-finals twice while playing outside the top two divisions.
• Werder won both meetings when these sides last met in the Bundesliga in 2020/21, but Bielefeld won the only previous cup tie with the aforementioned 3-1 victory.
• Bremen are the most successful team in the DFB Cup after Bayern Munich with six titles. However, no Bundesliga team in the division’s 62-year history has been knocked out of the cup by clubs outside the top two leagues as often as Werder (11 times).

Teams

Bielefeld: Kersken - Lannert, Schneider, Felix, Oppie - Russo, Schreck, Kunze (Großer 66') - Kania (Uldrikis 55', Sarenren Bazee 66'), Wörl (Gradowski 90'), Corboz (c)
Unused subs: Oppermann, Hagmann, Boujellab, Biankadi, Schroers
Out: -
Coach: Mitch Kniat

Bremen: Zetterer - Malatini (Pieper 88'), Stark (c), Jung - Weiser, Stage, Lynen, Grüll (Bittencourt 46'), Köhn (Agu 82') - Ducksch (Njinmah 30'), Silva (Burke 46')
Unused subs: Backhaus, Veljković, Alvero, Kaboré
Out: Friedl (knee), Schmid (ill)
Coach: Ole Werner

As it happened!