Joker double pack takes Düsseldorf into the quarter-finals

DFB Cup - Joker double pack takes Düsseldorf into the quarter-finals

Joker Jona Niemiec has fired Fortuna Düsseldorf into the cup quarter-finals with a late brace. The substitute striker turned the game of the two-division soccer team 1. FC Magdeburg against Düsseldorf around in just six minutes.

With his equalizer in the 87th minute, he equalized Magdeburg's lead through Baris Atik (15th) before scoring the winner in stoppage time (90.+3) to make it 2:1 (0:1) in front of 20,090 spectators in the MDCC Arena. It was Fortuna's first quarter-final appearance since the 2019/2020 season.

Lucky lead

Magdeburg's playmaker Atik took the early lead after a quarter of an hour, as his cross from half-field to Luc Castaignos went straight into the goal after a touchdown, as the striker was unable to reach the ball. Visiting keeper Karol Niemczycki, who came on for Florian Kastenmeier, was also unable to reach the ball.

Fortuna, who made four changes after the 5:0 win in Nuremberg, had to chase an early deficit. That gave them little security. In addition, Düsseldorf tried too often with long balls. After the visitors lost possession, Xavier Amaechie (31) could have increased the lead, but he only hit the far post from an acute angle.

After the changeover, Fortuna were suddenly wide awake and played a lively game. Only the last precise pass was missing too often. The hosts exploited the Rhinelanders' pressure phase to create good counter-attacking opportunities. As the FCM tried to bring the result over time, a ball loss by Silas Gnaka initiated the counterattack, which the substitute Niemiec completed with a shot into the right-hand corner. Just as everyone was expecting extra time, the joker struck again and scored the winner.

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1. Fortuna Düsseldorf, hailing from North Rhine-Westphalia, advanced to the DFB Cup quarter-finals after a double pack by substitute Jona Niemiec.
2. The 1. FC Magdeburg, representing Saxony-Anhalt, faced Düsseldorf in the cup, with Baris Atik scoring the opening goal for the Magdeburg team.
3. The MDCC Arena in Magdeburg was filled with 20,090 spectators who witnessed Niemiec's brace, turning the game around for Fortuna Düsseldorf.
4. Niemiec equalized Magdeburg's lead with a late goal in the 87th minute and then scored the winner in stoppage time (90.+3), securing a 2:1 victory for Düsseldorf.
5. The victory marks Fortuna Düsseldorf's first quarter-final appearance in the DFB Cup since the 2019/2020 season.
6. During the game, Fortuna's playmaker Atik, known for his cross from half-field, took an early lead for Magdeburg but eventually saw his team fall short to Düsseldorf in the cup match.

Source: www.stern.de