Bundesliga
Kaiserslautern beat Saarbrücken to reach DFB Cup final
Kaiserslautern ended third-tier Saarbrucken's fairy-tale run to set up a DFB Cup final with runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Saarbrücken 0-2 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 0-1 Ritter 53' (assist: Touré), 0-2 Touré 75' (assist: Puchacz)
Eleventh in Germany's 3. Liga, Saarbrücken had enjoyed a giant-killing ride to the semi-finals, accounting for Bundesliga trio Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt (2-0) and Borussia Mönchengladbach - as well as Bundesliga 2 outfit Karslruhe - in the previous rounds. Rüdiger Ziehl's plucky underdogs just about edged a competitive first half, though clear-cut chances were very much at a premium. Kai Brünker spurned the best of them, the Saarbrücken striker stooping to head a probing Marcel Gaus cross wide with 42 minutes on the clock.
That miss proved costly as Kaiserslautern's Marlon Ritter stole a yard in the penalty area to head Almamy Touré's centre through the legs of Tim Schreiber soon after the restart. Saarbrücken huffed and puffed in response, but could not blow the Kaiserslautern door down. The Red Devils were clinical by comparison, with Tymoteusz Puchacz setting up Touré for another headed effort that rubber-stamped his team's place in the final on 25 May. Leverkusen await after dispatching Fortuna Düsseldorf in the other last-four tie
Match stats
- Kaiserslautern are through to their third DFB Cup final. They beat Karlsruhe to the trophy in 1996, before losing the 2003 edition to Bayern.
- The Red Devils got the better of Koblenz (5-0), Bundesliga outfit Cologne (3-2), Nuremberg (2-0) and Hertha Berlin (3-1) en route to the last four.
- Though not in charge for the previous rounds, Friedhelm Funkel has now guided teams to the final on three occasions. As a Kaiserslautern player, he was a runner-up in 1981.
- Touré was a DFB Cup runner-up with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022/23.
- A Bundesliga 2 club will contest a DFB Cup final for the first time since 2010/11, when Duisburg were beaten 5-0 by then Bundesliga side Schalke.
- Saarbrücken were making their fifth semi-final appearance overall, but have never gone further.
Teams
Saarbrücken: Schreiber - Thoelke, Zeitz (c) (Biada 78'), Boeder - Rizzuto, Kerber, Sontheimer (Civeja 67'), Gaus (Di Michele Sanchez 67') - Naïfi (Stehle 67'), Brünker, Rabihić (Uaferro 86')
Unused subs: Paterok, D. Becker, R. Becker, Günther-Schimdt
Out: Jacob (knee), Neudecker (groin), Schmidt (broken leg)
Coach: Rüdiger Ziehl
Kaiserslautern: Himmelmann - Touré, Elvedi, Tomiak - J. Zimmer (c) (Ronstadt 78'), Niehues, Kaloč, Puchacz - Redondo (Opoku 31'), Ritter - Hanslik (Stojilkovic 67')
Unused subs: Spahic, K. Kraus, Raschl, Abiama, Simakala, Tachie
Out: Ache (muscular), Klement (muscular), Krahl (hand), Zuck (knee)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel
As it happened!
0 - 2(0 - 0)
Saarbrücken
FINAL
Kaiserslautern
90' +5
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Bone Uaferro
90'
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Four minutes for a miracle
The fourth official puts his board up and it's four minutes for Saarbrücken to do something extraordinary.
89'
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That could be it
Simon Fabio Stehle flashes a header just wide of the FCK post, and they really needed that one to go in to have any chance of overturning a two-goal deficit.
86'
vs
Bone Uaferro
Kasim Rabihic
82'
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Almost game over
Straight after Brünker goes close to making it 2-1, Stojilkovic nearly makes it 3-1 at the other end of the pitch.
80'
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Was that the chance?
Brünker has his hardest chance of the game, but still almost scores with a snapshot from just outside the six-yard box.
78'
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Frank Ronstadt
Jean Zimmer
77'
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Julian Niehues
77'
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Fabio Di Michele Sanchez
77'
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Kai Brunker
77'
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Almamy Touré
75'
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Kaiserslautern take full control!
That could be it for Saarbrücken's dream! Tymoteusz Puchacz fires in a deep free-kick from wide left, and up jumps Almamy Toure with a commanding header to double the scoreline.
72'
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So close
Kaiserslautern counter and Stojilkovic just has to find Opoku for a golden one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper. His pass isn't good enough though and FCK will rue that if their opponents come back into the game.
70'
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Don't count them out
Saarbrücken may be a goal down, but they've already come from behind twice in this competition against Bundesliga opposition in Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach.
67'
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Filip Stojilkovic
Daniel Hanslik
67'
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Simon Fabio Stehle
Amine Naifi
67'
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Fabio Di Michele Sanchez
Marcel Gaus
67'
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Tim Civeja
Patrick Sontheimer
63'
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Flashpoint
FCK threaded together a brilliant passing move and found Opoku in space out wide. Manuel Zeitz did what he had to do, and stopped a potential goal, picking up a yellow, but the away bench wanted more.
62'
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Manuel Zeitz
58'
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Brünker again!
FCS's top scorer in the competition, Brünker, fails to test the goalkeeper with another good chance. Gaus did well with a dangerous pass across the six-yard box, but the striker's attempted backheel didn't connect.
51'
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Flow state
Both teams are creating far more to start the second half, and it looks like a goal could well be on its way.
48'
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Great start
Kaiserslautern get off to a far stronger start for the second half and register their first shot on target through Filip Kaloc.
46'
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Back underway
There's no changes from either side as we kick off for the second period.
42'
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Huge chance!
The best chance of the game sees a free kick steered straight onto the head of Kai Brünker, and he thumps it wide in plenty of space.
40'
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Set piece chances
It's now 7-5 in free kicks and 2-0 in corners to the home side, but so far FCK are dealing with the threat well
38'
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High boot
Boris Tomiak evens up the yellow card count with a high boot as things continue to get nippy in midfield.
37'
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Boris Tomiak
30'
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Aaron Opoku
Kenny Prince Redondo
36'
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Ouch
Patrick Sontheimer steams into Calogero Rizzuto for the game's first yellow card, but it was coming as things were getting heated in midfield.
35'
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Patrick Sontheimer
31'
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First corner
Saarbrücken win the game's first corner, and there's more bad news for the away side who lose Kenny Redondo to injury with Aaron Opoku coming on in his place.
26'
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Chances!
Saarbrücken have the first extended spell in their opponent's penalty area. Marcel Gaus' trademark long throw causes chaos, but Kaiserslauten clear their lines, not once, but twice.
21'
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New territory?
Despite taking the headlines, Saarbrücken have been in the DFB Cup semi-finals as recently as 2020. FCK, meanwhile, last made it this far in 2014.
19'
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Thwarted
Saarbrücken keep trying with quick balls over the top, but so far Kaiserslautern's defence has been dialled-in, playing them offside.
15'
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What's at stake
A win for Saarbrücken would make them the first third division side in the DFB Cup final, victory for Kaiserslautern would book them their eighth final spot overall, having twice won the cup in 1990 and 1996.
11'
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Switch up
Kaiserslautern slowly take control of the game and have a decent spell in the opposition half, but so far it's come to nothing.
7'
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First attack
Kaiserslautern absorb the pressure and attack dangerously, winning a free kick and the chance to get their players in the home team box.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
4'
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Home advantage
Saarbrücken are using the incredible atmosphere at the Ludwigsparkstadion to take the game to their opponents in the early stages.
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One change for Kaiserslautern
Friedhelm Funkel has made one change to his starting XI from their 3-1 home defeat to Fortuna Düsseldorf. Tobias Raschl makes way for Almamy Touré in defence.
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Saarbrücken changes
Since their last competitive league game in mid-march, Rüdiger Ziehl has made three changes to his Saarbrücken line up, bringing in Bjarne Thoelke, Patrick Sontheimer and Kasim Rabihic for Dominik Becker, Tim Civeja and Julian Günther-Schmidt who move to the bench.
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Saarbrücken starting XI
Schreiber - Thoelke, Zeitz (c), Boeder - Rizzuto, Kerber, Sontheimer, Gaus - Naïfi, Brünker, Rabihić
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Saarbrücken subs
Paterok, D. Becker, R. Becker, Di Michele Sanchez, Uaferro, Biada, Civeja, Günther-Schimdt, Stehle
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Kaiserslautern starting XI
Himmelmann - Touré, Elvedi, Tomiak - J. Zimmer (c), Niehues, Kaloč, Puchacz - Redondo, Ritter - Hanslik
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Kaiserslautern subs
Spahic, K. Kraus, Ronstadt, Raschl, Abiama, Opoku, Simakala, Stojilkovic, Tachie
69s
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Watch: Kaiserslautern's top 5 goals this season
Enjoy the five best goals from DFB Cup semi-finalists Kaiserslautern in the 2023/24 Bundesliga 2 season.
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Cup respite
It's hard to believe from a unexpected semi-finalist, but in the league things aren't going well for Kaiserslautern. Forced into the Bundesliga 2's relegation/promotion spot of 16th last time out, a win here could give the team a much-needed confidence boost for the run in. Two-time winners and five-time runners-up, Kaiserslautern have pedigree in the competition.