dpa
Saarbrücken, Germany
Second division Kaiserslautern ended the fairytale run of third tier Saarbrücken in the German Cup with a 2-0 semi-final victory on Tuesday to reach the final for the first time in 21 years.
Almamy Touré set up Marlon Ritter to head the opening goal in the 53rd minute with some help from goalkeeper Tim Schreiber, and then clinched matters himself with a 75th-minute header for visiting twice Cup winners Kaiserslautern.
The defeat ended Saarbrücken’s remarkable campaign during which they had upset a Bundesliga trio of record Cup winners Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In the May 25 final in Berlin, Kaiserslautern will face either runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who are unbeaten all season in all competitions, or second division rivals Fortuna Düsseldorf who contest the other semi-final on Wednesday.
“The lads were fantastic and we had the necessary luck. We had to be patient and not allow counter attacks, that was the reason why Bayern and Gladbach failed,” the recently appointed veteran coach Friedhelm Funkel told broadcasters ARD.
The 70-year-old, who as a player won the Cup with Uerdingen and reached the final with Kaiserslautern, added: “The first half wasn’t good but you can’t expect us to dominate, we are 16th in our league.
But this win will give the team something.” Schreiber said: “It is bitter that it ends with a mistake of mine. I feel extremely sorry for the team, they all fought so well. It was a fairytale.” Kaiserslautern are the first second tier team in the final since MSV Duisburg in 2011.
They won the Cup in 1990 and 1996, the second title coming a week after being relegated from the Bundesliga. They could face a similar scenario this term in their eighth final, being in the danger zone in the second tier. Their last final was in 2003, losing against Bayern.
The match between the regional rivals was a cagey affair in the first half, before Kaiserslautern drew first blood in the 53rd minute when Ritter nodded home Touré’s cross from the right which the unfortunate Schreiber let slip through his legs.
The goal gave them confidence, and Touré headed the second with 15 minutes left into the bottom left corner.
Brünker almost got Saarbrücken back into the game but the hosts failed for the fifth time to reach a maiden final.
