DFB Cup holders RB Leipzig advanced to the semi-finals of this year’s competition thanks to a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the last eight on Wednesday.

Leipzig 2-0 Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Werner 22’ (assist: Simakan), 2-0 Orban 90'+8 (assist: Kampl)

As surprising as it may seem, the first half was as one-sided a game of football as you are ever likely to see. Leipzig, wounded by defeats in their last three competitive matches, began determined to show their true colours – and boy, did they ever. Barely two minutes were on the clock when Konrad Laimer had the first chance, playing a one-two with Werner before firing an angled drive at goal that Gregor Kobel did well to tip out for a corner. Dortmund barely made it out of their own half as the chances came thick and fast for Leipzig: Werner, Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai all went close before they eventually got their reward, Mohamed Simakan striding forward past Mats Hummels to cross for Werner to sweep into the net. Josko Gvardiol, Olmo and Werner all had further openings as Leipzig refused to loosen their grip on the game, but despite ending the first 45 minutes with 14 shots on goal to BVB’s one, they were only 1-0 up at the break.

Dortmund brought on Yousoufa Moukoko at half-time in the hope that the threat of his pace on the counter might force Leipzig to abandon their relentless pressing and drop deeper. The hosts refused to do so, however, and continued to look the more dangerous side, with Olmo’s rasping drive from distance a reminder of Leipzig’s considerable threat. The visitors grew into the game as the half wore on, aided by the introduction of Jude Bellingham off the bench, but they still struggled to click in the final third and Janis Blaswich in the Leipzig goal was largely a spectator. The hosts should have killed the game off in the closing stages when Szoboszlai fed Laimer on the counter but, after outwitting Hummels, the midfielder was thwarted by another big save from Kobel. Anthony Modeste came off the bench for the final five minutes as Dortmund sought to force the issue but Leipzig held firm and after Willi Orban's goal on the counter deep into stoppage time, they were rewarded for an impressive display with a place in the semi-finals.

Match stats

• With five goals now, Werner is the highest-scoring player left in this season's DFB Cup alongside Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.
• Leipzig have won all 10 of their DFB Cup matches since losing the 2021/22 final 4-1 to Dortmund.
• Rose has now faced Dortmund three times in the DFB Cup as a coach, losing in the 2019/20 second round and 2020/21 quarter-finals whilst in charge of Borussia Mönchengladbach.
• Leipzig join Eintracht Frankfurt, Freiburg and VfB Stuttgart in this season's semi-finals.
• Die Roten Bullen have reached at least the last four of the DFB Cup for a third successive year.
• Orban's goal was his fourth in his 33rd DFB Cup appearance.

Teams

Leipzig: Blaswich – Simakan (Klostermann 78'), Orban (c), Gvardiol – Henrichs, Laimer (Kampl 87'), Haidara, Raum (Halstenberg 87') – Szoboszlai, Werner (Silva 78'), Olmo (Forsberg 70')
Unused subs: Nyland, Clark, Ba
Out: Gulacsi (knee), Nkunku (thigh), Schlager (ankle), Poulsen (calf)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Marco Rose

Dortmund: Kobel – Wolf (Moukoko 46'), Süle, Hummels (Modeste 85'), Ryerson – Özcan, Can, Guerreiro – Malen, Brandt (Bellingham 63'), Reus (c) (Bynoe-Gittens 76')
Unused subs: Meyer, Reyna, Dahoud, Rothe, Coulibaly
Out: Adeyemi (suspended), Duranville (thigh), Meunier (back), Haller (knee), Morey (match fitness)
Coach: Edin Terzic

As it happened!

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