A fight to the death, but Hertha go out on penalties

There were two changes from the side which beat Ingolstadt on Saturday, with Niklas Stark and Per Skjelbred replacing Fabian Lustenberger and Valentin Stocker in the starting XI. Maximilian Mittelstädt retained his position at left back as Marvin Plattenhardt was not quite fully fit after recovering from a cold.

Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel named the same team who beat Leipzig 1-0 at the weekend. Ex-Hertha player Piszczek started as right back, but there was still no place in the squad for Mario Götze.

Both teams left everything out there from the beginning and looked to come out fast. Dortmund looked for the more direct route to goal but the Hertha defence was able to clear the danger. The first big chance fell to Ibisevic, who found himself clean through only to be denied by Bürki in the home goal. At the other end, Aubameyang tried three times to opening the score, but was denied on every occasion by Jarstein and his lightening quick reactions between the posts. After Vladimir Daridas, John Anthony Brooks and Ibisevic had all seen their efforts to goal blocked Hertha took the lead through Salomon Kalou, who volleyed home just before the half hour. Dortmund had the better chances before the break, but could not find a way through the well organised BSC defence.

Dortmund did level with their first chance after the break, with Marco Reus steering home from 8 yards. The home side continued to apply pressure after the hour mark but could not find a way past the brilliant Jarstein. The visitors struggled to get forward in the final few minutes and offered little apart from a shot from Genki Haraguchi. A resolute defensive performance however saw the match taken into extra time.

There was nothing to separate the two sides in extra time either. Jarstein and Brooks did everything to ensure their side did not concede again and it was enough to force the game to be decided on penalties.

Fabian Lustenberger hit the bar with the first penalty before Dembele put Dortmund ahead. Darida scored for Hertha, before Jarstein saved from Pulisics. Alexander Esswein also failed to find the back of the net before Aubameyang scored. Sami Allagui thought he penalty had been saved only for the ball to spin back over the line before Castro’s strike meant Kalou had to score. The man who opened the scoring could however only blaze his penalty over. 

Hertha are now out of the DFB Cup after their defeat, but they will not travel back to Berlin. They will instead travel to Bochum and prepare for Saturday’s game against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen. 

1st Half:

9: The first chance, Ibisevic goes clean through on goal but is denied by Bürki in the Dortmund goal.

15: Jarstein pulls off an amazing save from Aubameyang to deny the striker for the third time in three minutes.

26: Brooks meets a corner with a powerful header, before Ibisevic heads the re-bound over from three yards!

47: Reus equalises for Dortmund. Dembele’s shot hits the post and after the ball comes back into the box Reus steers home from close range.

57: The ball is in the net again, but Aubameyang is adjudged to have kicked the ball out of Jarstein’s hands.

66: Jarstein makes another top save to deny Guerreiro from 25 yards.