Semi-final, 09.06.2020: FC Saarbrücken v Bayer 04 0-3 (0-2)
The semi-final draw took the Werkself to Völklingen in Saarland, where FC Saarbrücken, whose Ludwigspark Stadium is undergoing reconstruction, had overcome clear favourites in previous rounds. Second division outfits Jahn Regensburg and Karlsruher SC as well as two Bundesliga teams from the Rhineland, Fortuna Düsseldorf and FC Köln, saw their cup ambitions disappear under the pale floodlights at the Hermann Neuberger Stadium. Saarbrücken were champions of the cancelled Regional League season and thereby promoted to the third division but there were concerns that the Werkself could underestimate their opponents in the first DFB Cup tie played behind closed doors. But not Peter Bosz: “It’s all about getting to the final. All of us know what’s at stake!”
Bayer 04 approached the game in a professional frame of mind: serious, focussed, confident on the ball and determined to score. Moussa Diaby (11’) and Lucas Alario (19’) silenced the hosts with goals early on and Karim Bellarabi sealed victory on the hour mark with a third goal.
“Every player dreams of playing in the final of a competition. We’re proud and over the moon,” said Kerem Demirbay, who provided all three assists. At the same time, Fernando Carro, with the players singing the traditional ‘Berlin, Berlin, we’re off to Berlin!’, was already looking forward to 4 July just like Peter Bosz. “It’s a great win and the chance of a title,” said the chairman of the board and the Werkself coach declared: “You play to win in a final. That will be the next mission.”
Match stats:
FC Saarbrücken: Batz – Jänicke (Froese 46’), Schorch (Bulic 87’), Zeitz, Uaferra, Barylla – Perdedaj (Breitenbach 68’), Zellner, Golley, Müller (Mendler 68’) – Jacob (Eisele 78’)
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Weiser, Tapsoba (Tah 46’), S. Bender (Dragovic 62’), Wendell – Aránguiz (Palacios 70’), Demirbay – Wirtz (Bellarabi 46’), Paulinho, Diaby (Volland 62’) – Alario
Goals: 0-1 Diaby (11’), 0-2 Alario (19’), 0-3 Bellarabi (58’)
Referee: Guido Winkmann (Kerken)
Booked: Tapsoba
Attendance: Played behind closed doors
The Bundesliga has announced the nominees for the ‘Top Goal of the Month’ award for October. Fans of the Werkself can now vote for, amongst others, Robert Andrich’s stunning volley from the match against Mainz 05 or Moussa Diaby’s curling shot into the top corner from the same fixture. Voting, exclusively on the Bundesliga app, remains open until Sunday, 8 November (23:59 CET).
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Bayer 04 host Borussia Mönchengladbach at the BayArena on matchday 12 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.
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Bayer 04 host Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena on matchday 14 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-1 loss at Bayern Munich in the round of 16 of the women's DFB-Pokal 2026/27
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“As far as mentality and determination are concerned, we have nothing to reproach ourselves for,” Robert Andrich said up after the first home defeat for the Werkself this term. In terms of their play, too, the Black and Reds put in a respectable performance for long stretches of this intense and physical match, outperforming VfB Stuttgart in most areas. It was only in terms of efficiency in front of goal that the Swabians had the edge over the Werkself. Head coach Carles Martínez wants to learn from this so that, in future, they can “win this sort of match too”. The Werkself review.
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