Olmo dazzles as Leipzig progress

Freiburg 1-5 Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Olmo 13' (assist: Halstenberg), 0-2 Henrichs 14' (assist: Olmo), 0-3 Szoboszlai 36' (assist: Olmo), 0-4 Nkunku 45'+1 (assist: Olmo), 1-4 Gregoritsch 75' (assist: Sallai), 1-5 Szoboszlai (pen. 90'+7)
Sent off: Gvardiol (58')

As the home side, Freiburg harboured hopes of exacting a measure of revenge on Die Roten Bullen for defeat in last year's final, and they very nearly went ahead inside two minutes following a sweeping move, only for Amadou Haidara to nick the ball of Michael Gregoritsch's toe as he was about to shoot. That was about as good as it got for the Black Forest club in the first half, however. Christopher Nkunku dragged a shot wide moments later with a warning shot the hosts failed to heed, with Olmo soon heading in the opener from Marcel Halstenberg's cross. Olmo then produced an exquisite cushioned pass for Benjamin Henrichs to double Leipzig's lead 90 seconds later, and the Spaniard also played the killer balls for Dominik Szoboszlai and Nkunku to give Marco Rose's side an unassailable half-time lead.

Freiburg were given a glimmer of hope in the second half when Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol was shown a straight red card for a last-man challenge on Roland Sallai. Janis Blaswich produced a stunning save from Vincenzo Grifo from the resulting free-kick as the home crowd urged their players forward, but Leipzig responded by switching to a five-man backline and taking off Nkunku and Olmo as they protected their lead. Christian Streich's side did manage to pull a goal back when Gregoritsch expertly guided in a header from Sallai's right-wing cross, but Szoboszlai's stoppage-time penalty with the last kick of the game sealed the deal for Leipzig as they booked their ticket to the final in Berlin in June, where they will face either VfB Stuttgart or Eintracht Frankfurt.

• Leipzig have reached their third successive DFB Cup final, and fourth in five years.
• Nkunku has 18 goals in 30 games in all competitions this season, including two in his last two outings.
• Die Roten Bullen are unbeaten in their last eight competitive meetings with Freiburg, winning four - including last year's final.
• Five-goal Timo Werner is level with Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani as the 2022/23 DFB Cup's joint highest scorer.
• Gregoritsch has 15 goals in 39 appearances for Freiburg in his debut season at the club.
• Grifo has scored a team-leading 13 Bundesliga goals this season, but hasn't fired in the DFB Cup since the club's 2021/22 semi-final win over Hamburg on 19 April 2022.

Teams

Freiburg: Flekken - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart - Sildillia (Grifo 20'), Eggestein (Keitel 46'), Höfler, Günter (c) (Weißhaupt 79') - Doan (Sallai 46'), Höler (Petersen 76'), Gregoritsch
Unused subs: Atubolu, Gulde, Jeong, Röhl
Out: Kyereh (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Christian Streich

Leipzig: Blaswich - Henrichs, Orban (c), Gvardiol, Halstenberg (Raum 61') - Laimer (Diallo 87'), Haidara, Szoboszlai - Nkunku (Simakan 61'), Werner (Poulsen 79'), Olmo (Klostermann 61')
Unused subs: Nyland, Forsberg, Silva
Out: Gulacsi (knee), Schlager (ankle)
Coach: Marco Rose

As it happened!