SC Freiburg Advances to DFB-Pokal Semifinals After Dramatic Penalty Victory Over Hertha BSC

SC Freiburg secured a tense win over Hertha BSC in the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals with a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. The thrilling encounter took place at Berlin's Olympiastadion in front of 56,743 spectators.

The match saw Freiburg take the lead in the 96th minute through Yuito Suzuki, capitalizing on a defensive error by Hertha's Linus Gechter. However, Hertha's captain Fabian Reese stunned the home fans by equalizing with a remarkable strike in the 104th minute, pushing the contest into penalties.

Freiburg's backup goalkeeper Florian Müller emerged as the hero of the shootout, making a crucial save against Pascal Klemens to clinch the victory and propel Freiburg into the semifinals. Müller's standout performance earned him praise as the 'Elfmeter-Killer' and recognition from teammates and fans alike.

The match deeply affected Freiburg's 40-year-old coach Julian Schuster, who described feeling emotionally drained after the high-pressure encounter. Schuster's response captured the intensity and significance of the victory for his team, which now chases their first-ever DFB-Pokal triumph, having narrowly lost the final to RB Leipzig in a penalty shootout in 2022.

Meanwhile, Hertha BSC's hopes of reaching a home final were dashed, compounding their struggles in the Bundesliga where they trail the promotion playoff places by six points, increasing pressure on the team to salvage their season.