Ka rain, no puddle landscape, instead a mild climate, playable green. They no longer knew that in Saarbrücken after a wetland hung over the city in most of the cup rounds this season, for example when the great Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach were defeated.
The current eleventh-placed team in the third league dreamed of another coup in the first cup semi-final against their unpopular Palatinate neighbors 1. FC Kaiserslautern, who, as sixteenth-placed in the second Bundesliga, are acutely worried about relegation. After the previous highlights, at least some fans of the blue-blacks expected another success for their team against the Palatinate team, who were rated as equally strong under the special circumstances. But Saarbrücken’s projections didn’t work out in this mediocre duel.
In the end, Kaiserslautern won surprisingly confidently 2-0 against the Saarbrücken team, who were all too nervous shortly before the goal, thanks to Marlon Ritter’s header goal shortly after the break and Aaron Opoku’s header goal a quarter of an hour before the end. “Today we had the luck we needed,” said Kaiserslautern coach Friedhelm Funkel: “But the team remained patient.”
The Palatinate team can look forward to their third cup final against the winner of the second semi-final this Wednesday evening between Bundesliga leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who have never been defeated this season, and second division third-placed Fortuna Düsseldorf.
The practical test on Tuesday evening in front of almost 2,000 FCK fans and 14,000 FCS supporters in the sold-out Ludwigsparkstadion turned out to be a largely tough and unsightly affair. Little football, a lot of fighting, few ideas, a lot of shooting. Football aesthetes didn’t get their money’s worth waiting for the one opportunity worth seeing. The more active team from Saarbrücken had this only chance of the first half when center forward Brünker caused danger with a flying header that sailed just past the goal after Gaus’ free kick shortly before the break (42nd).
Enjoyed the moment: Kaiserslautern coach Friedhelm Funkel
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Image: Reuters
Otherwise, the first round lacked esprit and ideas on both sides. The Palatinate team in particular enjoyed the destructive role of not even allowing the Saarlanders to counterattack against the Bundesliga teams, which is often worth seeing. The fans who wanted to see good football had to hope for the second half.
There wasn’t much football to see, but at least there was an early goal for the Lauterers, who hadn’t yet gotten into the game. The former Frankfurt player Touré crossed from the right, the stocky playmaker Ritter held his head without having to hop, and goalkeeper Schreiber let this definitely tenable attempt roll through his legs (53′). Around twenty minutes later, the goal preparer was able to celebrate as the goalscorer. He also scored with a header after Puchacz’s free kick (75′). This meant the game was decided for the more hardened team. “That hurts extremely. We don’t have to lose the game. We are making one mistake,” said Saarbrücken coach Rüdiger Ziehl afterwards on ARD. His goalkeeper was heartbroken: “That decided the game. “You just want to sink into the ground afterwards,” said Schreiber and apologized to his teammates who had comforted him after the final whistle: “Personally, I’m sorry that it ended like this because of my mistake.”
The FCK can now make plans for a trip to Berlin. Coach Funkel knows the exhilaration of a cup winner as a player, which he enjoyed with Bayer Uerdingen in 1985 in the then sensational 1-0 victory over the big favorites Bayern Munich. His Lauterers are now hoping for the outsider’s rare chance in such a final in the event that Faith can move Betzenberge.