In a dramatic turn of events at the German Cup semifinals, third-tier Arminia Bielefeld shocked holders Bayer Leverkusen with a 2-1 victory. This win not only marked a historic milestone for Bielefeld by sending them to the DFB-Pokal final for the first time in the club’s history, but also underscored the unpredictable nature of cup football.
Leverkusen set the early pace when Jonathan Tah capitalized on a corner in the 17th minute with a precise tap-in, giving the hosts an initial advantage. Yet, the resilient Bielefeld responded almost immediately. Marius Woerl fired an equalizer just three minutes later, setting the stage for an inspiring comeback. On the stroke of halftime, Maximilian Grosser’s close-range volley provided the crucial breakthrough.
After a first-half burst of momentum, Bielefeld maintained relentless pressure in the second half. Despite several opportunities from Leverkusen, including a near-miss by Patrik Schick in the 81st minute, Bielefeld held firm. Coach Michel Kniat expressed his pride in his team’s performance, saying, "I am so proud of the team. The whole region is feeling this. No one will be sleeping tonight. We defended with a lot of passion and that was the key. We worked extremely hard."
On the other side, Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich admitted, "It is hard to say what went wrong so shortly after the game but when we say that Bielefeld deserved to reach the final then that means we did a lot of things wrong. We were missing all our usual strengths." His reflections captured the frustration of a team that had enjoyed a seemingly unbreakable German Cup run under coach Xabi Alonso.
Now celebrated as the fourth third-tier side to reach the final, Bielefeld's achievement adds another intriguing chapter to this season's competition. As anticipation builds for the final match, fans and pundits alike are left to wonder if underdogs and upsets could become a defining theme of this year's tournament. Meanwhile, the other semifinal sees VfB Stuttgart set to clash with RB Leipzig on Wednesday, promising further high-stakes action.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
