In a nail-biting German Cup quarterfinal clash in Berlin, SC Freiburg punched their ticket to the semifinals by defeating Hertha BSC 6-5 in a dramatic penalty shootout. The match, which saw both teams locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Freiburg struck early when Yuito Suzuki fired home in the third minute, sending the away supporters into raptures. Hertha responded with aggression, as Martin Winkler nearly equalized with a powerful header, only to be denied. Fabian Reese thought he had leveled the score, but VAR intervention ruled the goal out after a tense review.
As the first half wore on, Freiburg’s defense held firm. Derry Scherhunt tested Hertha keeper Tjark Ernst twice, but couldn’t find the net. Freiburg’s Florian Muller was equally heroic, tipping Linus Gechter’s header over the bar to preserve the lead.
The second half saw a dip in tempo, with few clear chances. Extra time reignited the drama. In the 96th minute, Suzuki capitalized on Gechter’s error to restore Freiburg’s advantage. But Hertha fought back eight minutes later, with Reese unleashing a stunning shot to force penalties.
Under the spotlight, both sides shone initially. Hertha’s Michael Küssens saw his effort saved by Muller, while Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi missed. After tying at 4-4, Suzuki converted again, and Muller’s final save on Pascal Klemens sealed a memorable victory.
Freiburg now joins Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart in the semifinals. The final quarterfinal pits Bayern Munich against RB Leipzig, promising more excitement ahead.