Berlin, Feb. 9, (dpa/GNA) - Nuremberg have reached the quarter-finals of the German Cup for the first time since 2011 after they defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 5-3 in the shoot-out, following a 1-1 draw, on Wednesday.
The Bavarian team came from behind to level the game with two minutes left in stoppage time and netted all of their penalties. Düsseldorf’s Jona Niemiec, who was making his professional debut, missed a decisive penalty for his side.
Nuremberg are the only second-division side left in the Cup and now join VfB Stuttgart, Union Berlin, title holders RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals, while Bochum and Borussia Dortmund will duel for the last spot later on Wednesday.
“We fought for a comeback in the last minute and were lucky in the shoot-out. We’re celebrating this one,” coach Markus Weinzierl told broadcasters Sky.
Düsseldorf top scorer Dawid Kownacki finished off a cross from Emmanuel Iyoha with his head in the 33rd minute to open the scoring
But the guests wasted plenty of chances to wrap up matters in the second half and were punished with just two minutes left in stoppage time when Nuremberg managed to find an equalizer with Taylan Duman and forced the extra-time.
Düsseldorf had a major chance to take the lead back early in the extra-time, but Jorrit Hendrix’s effort was saved on the line in the 92nd and his free-kick hit the crossbar in the 105th.
Niemiec’s missed penalty then gave Nuremberg the upper hand and Erik Shuranov sealed the win for the Bavarians.
“We had plenty of chances to decide this game, it’s our own fault. We could have scored two, three, four goals,” Düsseldorf midfielder Christoph Klarer told Sky.
GNA