Last-gasp penalty sends Cologne into German Cup quarters

A 121st-minute Dejan Ljubicic penalty took Cologne to a 2-1 win over 10-man Hertha Berlin and a spot in the German Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Hertha took the lead early when Ibrahim Maza converted a penalty after Derry Scherhant was felled in the box.

Berlin's hopes took a hit soon after when Deyovaisio Zeefuik was red carded for a headbutt in the 25th minute.

The visitors equalised five minutes later when Florian Niederlechner scored an own goal from a Cologne corner.

With scores locked at 1-1, the match went to extra time.

Ljubicic missed a sitter inches from goal on the 100th-minute mark but made good on his error, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, with penalties looming, to book Cologne's place in the last eight.

2015 winners Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0 at home thanks to three goals in 22 second-half minutes.

Scoreless at halftime, Denis Vavro and Jonas Wind scored within four minutes of each other midway through the second half, before Yannick Gerhardt added a third to seal the game in the dying stages.

The win continues Wolfsburg's improvement under former Southampton and RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhuettl, with the Wolves now unbeaten in seven games.

Bayer Leverkusen, who eliminated 20-time winners Bayern Munich on Tuesday, have already booked their spot in the quarterfinals along with Stuttgart, Werder Bremen and Arminia Bielefeld, who are the sole third-division side in the final eight.

Later on Wednesday, RB Leipzig, who won the German Cup in 2022 and 2023, host five-time champions Eintracht Frankfurt.