After a bright start which included three shots inside the opening 60 seconds, Union took the lead in the 11th minute when Max Kruse's cross was hooked in on the volley by Andreas Voglsammer, who managed to coordinate himself for the most precise of finishes despite having his back to goal and the ball escaping him on an opposite trajectory. Union looked good value for their lead and thought they were going to have an opportunity to expand it when Voglsammer's cross struck the arm of Niklas Stark and referee Deniz Aytekin awarded a penalty. A VAR review of the attack spotted an offside position, however, and the on-field decision was reversed, much to Hertha's relief. The hosts had struggled to make any headway through Union's high press, and when they did finally find a way through in first-half stoppage time, the offside flag this time came to Union's rescue as Suat Serdar's goal was struck off.
Hertha coach Tayfun Korkut had clearly seen enough and he made two changes at the start of the second half, sending on Peter Pekarik and Myziane Maolida. The early signs were positive when Vladimir Darida squandered an excellent opportunity to level, but instead, it was Union who doubled their lead with their first attack. Levin Öztunali broke free down the right and his cross was turned into his own goal by Stark, under pressure from Voglsammer. Another own goal brought Hertha back into the game, with Serdar's cut-back deflecting in from a tight angle off Rani Khedira. Serdar took the ball straight back to the centre spot, eager to get the game back underway, though Union were in a rush of their own – to restore their two-goal advantage, which they managed within a minute. Knoche was afforded too much room to meet Bastian Oczipka's free-kick completely unmarked and tuck it in from close range, putting them back in command of a pulsating Stadtderby. Serdar did manage to get his goal deep into stoppage time, but it was too little too late for Hertha to avoid elimination.
Match stats
Union reached the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup for the second season running, having never been so far since losing the 2001 final to Schalke; Bayer Leverkusen ended their journey in the last eight last year.
Voglsammer scored for the second game running, having struck against Hoffenheim at the weekend. That goal was his first in almost four months, having last found the back of the net in the Europa Conference League at the end of September.
Kruse has now provided an assist in all three games Union have played in 2022.
This was the first ever cup fixture between these two sides.
Hertha had not played a home domestic cup fixture since 30 October 2019, when they beat Dynamo Dresden 8-7 on penalties.
Serdar gets his goal with virtually the last kick of the game, reducing the arrears to 3-2, but it's too little too late for the hosts, as city rivals Union progress to the next round!
The Hertha defender jinks and drops a shoulder on the right-hand side, to open up a pocket of space to shoot from the edge of the box. He catches it well and it's curling towards the far post, but ends up whizzing just wide of the upright.
The action is concentrated almost entirely in Union's half now as Hertha throw everyone forward. Their visitors are standing firm though, Luthe's goal very well guarded.
79'
BRILLIANT SAVE FROM LUTHE!
A loose ball in the Union box falls kindly for Serdar and suddenly he's one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He quickly gets a shot away but Luthe produces a big save to keep it out!
77'
WIDE FROM TOUSART
Hertha's French midfielder drives forward towards the edge of the Union box and gets a shot away, but his effort is always just curling wide of the far post.
With Hertha defenders tiring as we enter the final 15 minutes, the introduction of the pacy Becker makes a lot of sense as Union try to exploit any spaces on the counter-attack to finish the game off once and for all.
Union coach Urs Fischer brings on Haraguchi and Behrens for the final 30 minutes or so as the visitors bid to press home their advantage with another goal that would surely put the tie to bed.
Mittelstädt gets forward down the left and his cross into the middle appears to deceive Luthe intially, forcing the goalkeeper to scramble on his line and tip the ball over.
Union knock the wind right out of Hertha's sails as they score another goal almost immediately. Oczipka delivers a brilliant cross from a left-wing free-kick into the box, and the unmarked Knoche strides forward to casually side-foot a volley into the bottom corner. A striker's finish from the centre-back!
The home side find an answer just when they need it the most. Serdar squirms his way into the left-hand side of the box and squeezes a shot in at the near post, with the aid of a deflection off Khedira's boot. Game on!
What a costly miss that has turned out to be from Darida! Öztunali turns on the after burners to surge away from his marker on the right. He gets to the byline and smashes the ball across the face of goal, looking for Voglsammer at the back post, but it ricochets off the toe of Hertha defender Stark and goes into the net!
The Hertha striker skips away from his marker on the right, gets to the byline and cuts the ball back for Darida, whose first-time shot spoons up off his boot and goes harmlessly over. He holds his head in his hands, aware that was a glorious chance for the equaliser.
So it's Union who have the advantage at the interval. Urs Fischer's side were by far the better team in the early exchanges and edged in front thanks to Voglsammer's excellent finish. Hertha grew into the game more as time wore on though, and began building momentum as half-time approached. You suspect another Union goal might dash their momentum though, so the next goal will be crucial.
Union attack well down the left this time, and the ball is pulled back for Kruse, arriving 12 yards out. It's on his preferred left foot and he strikes it well, but Schwolow is equal to it and makes a fine block.
36'
SERDAR HITS THE SIDE NETTING
Mittelstädt's corner from the right is flicked on at the near post and reaches Serdar, arriving at the back post. He beats his marker to head the ball goalwards, but can only find the side netting from a tight angle.
34'
DECISION OVERTURNED
After a VAR review, the penalty decision is overturned due to a previous offside in the build-up.
32'
PENALTY TO UNION!
The visitors are awarded a penalty after Voglsammer's cross from the right was handled inside the box by Stark.
29'
FIRST HINT OF A THREAT FROM HERTHA
The home side work the ball forward well, eventually playing it to the right to the onrushing Richter. He gets into the box and cuts inside onto his left foot to get a shot away, but is blocked just as he's about to pull the trigger. Still, it's Hertha's most promising attack so far, so will offer some encouragement to the fans.
25'
RIGHT WING
Union are having plenty of joy down their right flank, with Voglsammer often drifting wide to drag defenders out of position. Both he and Ryerson are getting forward well and pinning Mittelstädt back.
21'
UNION ON TOP
Hertha have scarcely been in Union's half so far, let alone have a shot at goal. It's all been pretty one-sided so far.
18'
ÖZTUNALI WAYWARD
The Union midfielder takes aim from the edge of the boxes but his shot flies well off target.
15'
FIRST CARD
Serdar is booked for an overzealous tackle on Baumgartl.
The guests attack down the left and a high cross is lofted into the box towards the back post. It looks like it might be a touch too long for Voglsammer, but the forward stretches for it a guides a brilliant volley back across goal and into the corner, leaving Schwolow wrong-footed. It's a superb finish, and Union deservedly have the lead!
The visitors are pushing high up the pitch as they seek an early advantage. Hertha are trying to play the ball out from the back but aren't really making much headway right now.
4'
HERTHA GET FORWARD
A first foray into the opposition half from the hosts, but Mittelstädt's cross from the left floats harmlessly over everyone and out of play.
2'
FIRST SIGHT OF GOAL
Kruse wriggles free in the left-hand side of the box and gets a low shot away that Schwolow does well to parry.
1'
AND WE'RE OFF!
Union get the ball rolling in Berlin!
Kick-off!
CHANCE FOR SILVERWARE
Dortmund's elimination yesterday means that, as it stands, Bochum and RB Leipzig are the only top-flight sides in the quarter-finals, alongside Bundesliga 2 outfits Karlsruhe, Hamburg, St. Pauli and Hannover. One of these Berlin sides will obviously join them, while Hoffenheim and Freiburg contest the other last-16 fixture. All in all, then, the winner of this game stands a good chance of going all the way.
IN THE TUNNEL
The players are making their way down the elevator at the Olympiastadion and lining up in the tunnel, awaiting the referee's instructions to take to the pitch.
LONG WAIT OVER
The last time two clubs from the same city met in the DFB Cup was back in February 2008 when Bayern Munich beat 1860 Munich 1-0 after extra time to reach the semi-finals.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
While this is the first time the two city rivals will lock horns in the cup, they have obviously encountered one another plenty of times over the years in other competitions. The five most recent meetings have all been in the Bundesliga, with Hertha winning on both occasions (3-1 and 4-0) in the two fixtures at the Olympiastadion to date. Union also won twice on home turf, with one draw at the Stadion an der alten Försterei. Taking into account four past matches in Bundesliga 2 between 2010 and 2013, overall there have been three victories for each side, with three draws.
2:03
WATCH: PREVIOUS MEETING: UNION BERLIN 2-0 HERTHA BERLIN
Taiwo Awoniyi and Christopher Trimmel got the goals when the teams last met on 20 November.
Thanks for joining us for today's live coverage of the Berlin derby, as Hertha host city rivals Union for a place in the DFB Cup quarter-finals. After Bundesliga 2 side Hamburg knocked out Cologne yesterday, holders Borussia Dortmund were floored by second division leaders St. Pauli, and with Borussia Mönchengladbach currently trailing to Bundesliga 2 side Hannover, it seems the stars have aligned to bring us drama aplenty! Stay tuned!
