DFB Cup: Union uses St. Pauli’s slip and is in the semifinals

As of 10:53 p.m | Reading time: 3 minutes

ÜUnion Berlin had had to wait for this opportunity for more than two decades. Thanks to a race to catch up and two mistakes by FC St. Pauli, the Irons are back in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup for the first time since 2001 after the 2-1 (1-1). Substitute Andreas Voglsammer became a hero for the Berliners with his winning goal in the 75th minute.

But before Berliners and Hamburgers fought for the next round of the cup, those responsible on both sides had found serious words; the war in the Ukraine also moved those involved on this cup evening in Berlin.

While yellow and blue flags were occasionally waved in the audience, Timo Schultz spoke impressive words about the situation in Eastern Europe. “You come out of the meeting room in the hotel, there are monitors hanging there. The rockets are flying all over the place. You can’t hide that,” said Pauli’s trainer on the “Sky” microphone before kick-off. “In Nikola Vasilj, our goalkeeper, we have a player who played in Luhansk last season and has friends there. It doesn’t look good at all.”

Dirk Zingler, President of the Unioner, meanwhile said with regard to the tough sanctions against Russia in sport: “I hope that at some point we will come to a differentiation again, that we distinguish between the state and the people. Now Russia has to pay its price, that’s right.” But you shouldn’t lose the Russian people. Despite all the world politics, football was also played that evening.

Both clubs are waiting a long time

After a good quarter of an hour, Taiwo Awoniyi got the shot after the visitors lost the ball. A first chance for Union, but Paulis goalkeeper Dennis Smarsch did not cause any problems. A few minutes later, his opponent looked much worse: Frederik Rönnow was unable to parry a free kick from Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, although the ball landed in the goalkeeper’s corner (21′). Kyereh celebrated with cartwheels and somersaults. His trainer grinned contentedly.

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Schultz had speculated before kick-off that it would be an all-or-nothing game in which there would be no scanning. “It’s a huge opportunity for us. We would like to continue our crazy run,” said the 44-year-old ex-professional of the Paulians. Schultz was there himself as a player in 2006 when the then regional league club defeated the four higher-class clubs Wacker Burghausen, VfL Bochum, Hertha BSC Berlin and Werder Bremen one after the other before the big FC Bayern stopped the underdog’s flight in the semi-finals.

16 years later, Hamburg once again dreamed of reaching the last four, at least until just before half-time. After a long ball to Awoniyi, Smarsch slipped unhappily. Sheraldo Becker was able to lob over the Hamburg goalkeeper to equalize (45′). By the way, the Unioner were last in the cup semifinals in 2001. 21 years ago they only lost in the final against Schalke 04 (0:2).

In the first minutes of the second half, the Berliners finally visibly increased the pressure. But the hosts did not achieve more than a few dangerous degrees for a long time. But then St. Pauli helped once again: Jakov Medic slipped like his goalkeeper in the first half. Voglsammer reacted at lightning speed to the blunder of the Hamburg central defender and shot his team into the semi-finals.

“The little bit of luck was missing. We played a good role and deservedly took the lead. But we also made two individual mistakes for which we were severely punished,” said Pauli captain Leart Paqarada, summing up his team’s performance.

His teammate Kyereh saw it similarly: “It’s difficult to find something positive. It’s a bitter defeat, but we can only grow from it. That’s what the coach just said.” Despite the defeat, the Hamburg goalscorer was voted player of the game.