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 Werkself kicked off the final international break of the current season on Monday morning with the first of three open training sessions this week. While eleven Bayer 04 players will be away on international duty in the coming days, the other players will be working together in Leverkusen. The next challenge in the Bundesliga awaits on Saturday, 4 April (kick-off: 15:30 CEST) with the home game against VfL Wolfsburg.
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