With an impressive performance, RB Leipzig moves into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. The team is superior in all respects against Frankfurt. This should strengthen the controversial coach Marco Rose. Augsburg can also be happy.
The scene after Lois Openda’s dream goal spoke volumes: all RB Leizpig players ran to coach Marco Rose and hugged him. With the 3-0 (1-0) win in the DFB Cup round of 16 against Eintracht Frankfurt, RB Leipzig not only sent an impressive signal in the crisis, but also saved the popular Rose’s job for the time being.
“I think the pictures speak for themselves,” said Leipzig’s sports director Marcel Schäfer on Sky. “We know that football is fundamentally a results sport. But I believe in the team, I believe in the coaching team.” At the same time, Schäfer emphasized that Rose and the team now have to step up their game against Holstein Kiel on Saturday. “If you want to be a top team, you have to win more than one game after a difficult phase,” he said.
Benjamin Sesko (31st) and Openda (50th, 58th) scored the goals for the Saxons in front of only 37,187 spectators – a season minus record – and secured their deserved place in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, surprisingly little came from Frankfurt, who have been outstanding in the Bundesliga for weeks.
The fact that one of the currently weakest teams meets one of the strongest teams was not evident in Leipzig. At least not in the intended distribution of roles. Because it wasn’t the Frankfurt team, who had been undefeated for nine games, who dominated the action. But Leipzig – and therefore the team that had lost five of the last six competitive games.
Frankfurt doesn’t come into play
Unlike recently in the Bundesliga and Champions League, RB started with great concentration. Because the pressing was right and so were the duels, Eintracht didn’t come into the game at all. Leipzig restricted the opponent in their own half, almost like in the good old days. It was therefore only the logical consequence that Rose’s team took the lead.
After a wonderful solo, Sesko also went around Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp and pushed the ball flat into the net. Almost everything that RB had recently missed in the desolate 1:5 against Wolfsburg was now shown against Frankfurt. Eintracht, on the other hand, could not keep up with the fight and passion of the Saxons.
At the beginning you couldn’t really blame coach Dino Toppmöller’s team, only that they acted a bit too passively. The top scorers Hugo Ekitiké and especially Omar Marmoush, who has been outstanding for months, did not come into the game because Leipzig consistently attacked them. And then added more
The strong Antonio Nusa penetrated the penalty area from the left and pushed flat into the center, where the incoming Openda made it 2-0 from close range. A little later the Belgian followed up brilliantly from a distance and hammered the ball into the net to make the decision. At least now one could make a big accusation against Eintracht, namely that of negligence.
The Leipzig professionals, on the other hand, demonstratively stormed towards their heavily counted coach Rose after the goal and cheered arm in arm with him. After that, Frankfurt at least ventured a little, but the Hessians never really threatened the hosts. In the 80th minute, Ekitiké tried from a distance, but his shot was no problem for RB goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt.
FC Augsburg have strong nerves
After a nerve-wracking show of strength and a late goal in extra time, FC Augsburg became the last club to reach the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. The Bundesliga team beat second division team Karlsruher SC 5:4 (2:2, 1:1, 1:0) in a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen made a decisive save against Robin Heußer.
Samuel Essende had given Augsburg, who had only lost one of their previous six competitive games, the lead in the 40th minute. Fabian Schleusener (54th) scored the equalizer for KSC in front of 28,422 spectators, who even took the lead in extra time through Marvin Wanitzek (111th) and then conceded the late 2-2 through Ruben Vargas (120th + 3).
For half an hour, hardly anything worth mentioning happened in the wildlife park, then within a few minutes things got very bitter for the hosts. After FCA defender Chrislain Matsima cleared his opponent Schleusener during an attempt to clear the ball, Wanitzek took the penalty – and missed (37′). Karlsruhe’s captain lifted the ball halfway into the middle, Augsburg’s Dahmen – as in the previous round in place of regular goalkeeper Nediljko Labrovic – simply stood there and caught the ball.
A little later the bell rang on the other side. A cross from Henri Koudossou from the left side was headed in by Essende from close range and completely unchallenged to give Augsburg the lead. KSC goalkeeper Max Weiß, who had since been treated for thigh problems, had no chance.
Unlike the first half, the second began without much testing. Phillip Tietz almost increased for FCA, but shot the ball just past the right angle (52′). Then the Karlsruhe team struck back. A cross from Budu Sivsiwadze landed somewhat fortunately right at the feet of his strike partner Schleusener – and he hit the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
The game was now completely open – at times more attractive than in the first 45 minutes, but still characterized by duels. The KSC was closer to 2-1 at the end of regular time. However, it went into extra time, in which Wanitzek initially gave Karlsruhe the lead after strong preparatory work from Siwsiwadze. When everything looked like a victory for Baden, Vargas saved FCA from penalties in stoppage time. There the favorite had a happier ending for himself.
jb/dpa
