Third-division Arminia Bielefeld delivered one of Europe’s most dramatic football upsets this season, defeating reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 to secure their first-ever DFB-Pokal final berth. The historic victory, achieved through relentless defense and tactical precision, eliminated four consecutive Bundesliga opponents in this year’s tournament.
Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat praised his team’s “extraordinary passion,” telling reporters: “The whole region is feeling this victory. We defended with heart and maintained pressure through both halves – this was a triumph of collective spirit.”
Despite Leverkusen opening the scoring through Jonathan Tah’s 17th-minute tap-in, Bielefeld equalized within three minutes via Marius Woerl’s precise strike. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky’s spectacular 26th-minute save couldn’t stop Maximilian Grosser’s halftime-volleyed winner, sealing a result that left Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich admitting: “This was clearly our worst performance this season. We must accept we messed up.”
The shock defeat marks Leverkusen’s first cup loss under manager Xabi Alonso, complicating their chase for the Bundesliga title where they trail Bayern Munich by six points. Bielefeld now await Wednesday’s Stuttgart-Leipzig semifinal winner for the April 13 final in Berlin.
