From BZ/dpa
1. FC Union Berlin is the second team after VfB Stuttgart to reach the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. The second-placed in the Bundesliga won 2-1 (1-1) against VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday evening and thus celebrated their fourth win in their fourth competitive game this year.
Only a few hours after the deal with the former real star Isco did not materialize and the Spaniard was on his way home again, the Irons once again caught up: after Luca Waldschmidt’s early guest tour in the Ex-Wolfsburg’s Robin Knoche equalized in the fifth minute (12′).
Wolfsburg’s Luca Waldschmidt makes it 1-0 Photo: picture alliance / contrastphoto
The winning goal was scored by Kevin Behrens (79th) in front of 22,012 fans in the sold-out stadium at the Alte Försterei. The yellow-red card for Berlin’s Niko Gießelmann shortly before the end did not change anything (87th).
The transfer posse around Isco had kept the Köpenicker club in suspense all day. Berlin coach Urs Fischer admitted that it was an issue in the team all day. Perhaps this was also the reason why the Berliners completely slept through the start in heavy rain. Waldschmidt scored the first chance to score from a short distance after the Unioners had already moved out of the penalty area. However, Janik Haberer canceled the offside when he ran back into the field at the goal line.
It didn’t take long for the second in the Bundesliga to recover from the shock. And once again a standard situation led to success. After a short corner, Croatian World Cup participant Josip Juranovic, who was signed by Celtic Glasgow, crossed to Knoche in his starting eleven, who only had to push in.
Robin Knoche scores to make it 1-1 Photo: picture alliance / contrastphoto
It was a special goal for the defender, after all he had moved to Wolfsburg when he was a junior and made his Bundesliga debut there.
As expected, an intense and physical cup fight developed. The Berliners gradually gained the upper hand and had a great chance to take the lead in the middle of the first half when Jordan’s head hit the crossbar (27′). Keeper Pavao Pervan, who had moved between the posts for Koen Casteels who had a cold, would have been powerless for the second time. On the other side, Paulo Otavio tested the Berlin goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow (37th).
In the second round, VfL had advantages, but without creating any great chances. On the other hand, the Berliners presented themselves as ice cold again. After a cross from Rani Khedira, Sheraldo Becker headed the ball perfectly in the middle for Behrens, who only had to shoot in.