08.04.2015 22:19 h

Minnows Bielefeld dump Gladbach out of cup

Was für eine Sensation! Nach dem Erfolg über Borussia Mönchengladbach steht als Drittligist Arminia Bielefeld im Halbfinale des DFB-Pokals. Felix Burmeister (vorne) freut es. (08.04.2015)
Was für eine Sensation! Nach dem Erfolg über Borussia Mönchengladbach steht als Drittligist Arminia Bielefeld im Halbfinale des DFB-Pokals. Felix Burmeister (vorne) freut es. (08.04.2015)

Third-division Arminia Bielefeld produced a classic German Cup upset on Wednesday when they knocked out Bundesliga high-fliers Borussia Moenchengladbach in a dramatic quarter-final penalty shoot-out to reach the last four.

Lucien Favre's Gladbach, who are set to play Champions League football next season, become the third Bundesliga side to lose to Arminia on their march to the semi-finals.

Bielefeld held their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out 5-4 as it finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Arminia took the lead at their sold-out Schueco-Arena after midfielder Manuel Junglas fired home with 26 minutes gone.

But Gladbach, who are third in the Bundesliga table, drew level six minutes later when striker Max Kruse converted a penalty.

With the scores level after extra time, Brazilian forward Raffael got Gladbach off to a bad start, with Bielefeld already 1-0 up, when he pushed their first spot-kick around the left post.

With the scores poised at 4-3 to Arminia, their midfielder Marc Lorenz had his penalty saved by Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

But Gladbach's Guinea midfielder Ibrahima Traore had his shot parried by the hosts' goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow to put Bielefeld through.

After beating Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen in the previous rounds, third-division leader Bielefeld will pick up at least two million euros ($2.1m) for reaching the semi-finals on April 28 and 29 with the final in Berlin on May 30.

Holders Bayern Munich are at Bayer Leverkusen in the last quarter-final tie with the draw for the semi-finals to be made at 2300 local time (2100 GMT).

On Tuesday, a thunderbolt of a shot from veteran midfielder Sebastian Kehl sealed Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 extra-time win over Hoffenheim to book their place in the last four.

The 35-year-old Kehl's speculative half-volley flew perfectly off his boot and into the Hoffenheim net on 107 minutes to put Dortmund in the semi-finals for the third time in four years.

Dortmund had taken an early lead but Neven Subotic's 19th-minute goal was cancelled out by Hoffenheim's Kevin Volland just 102 seconds later.

Brazil international Roberto Firmino put Hoffenheim 2-1 up at half-time before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised midway through the second-half as it stayed 2-2 at the end of normal time.

Wolfsburg took a step towards their first silverware since winning the 2009 Bundesliga title when a Ricardo Rodriguez penalty sealed their 1-0 quarter-final win at home to Freiburg.