Kaiserslautern end Saarbrücken's fairytale run to reach Cup final
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Second division Kaiserslautern ended the fairytale run of third tier Saarbrücken in the German Cup with a 2-0 semi-final victory on Tuesday to reach the final for the first time in 21 years.
Almamy Touré set up Marlon Ritter to head the opening goal in the 53rd minute, and then clinched matters himself with a 75th-minute header for visiting twice Cup winners Kaiserslautern.
The defeat ended Saarbrücken's remarkable campaign during which they had upset a Bundesliga trio of record Cup winners Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In the May 25 final in Berlin, Kaiserslautern will face either runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who are unbeaten all season in all competitions, or second division rivals Fortuna Düsseldorf who contest the other semi-final on Wednesday.
Kaiserslautern last won the Cup in 1996, a week after being relegated from the Bundesliga. They could face a similar scenario this term in their eighth Cup final overall, as they are ranked third bottom in the second tier. Their last final was in 2003, losing to Bayern.
The match between the regional rivals started as a cagey affair given how much was at stake, with little fouls also denying any flow of play.
Kaiserslautern drew first blood in the 53rd minute when Ritter nodded home Touré's cross from the right which the unfortunate Saarbrücken goalkeeper Tim Schreiber let slip through his legs.
The goal gave them confidence, and Touré headed the second with 15 minutes left into the bottom left corner for Kaiserslautern and their recently appointed veteran coach Friedhelm Funkel.
Brünker almost got Saarbrücken back into the game but the hosts failed for the fifth time to reach a maiden final.
