Forsberg and Poulsen fire Leipzig to first cup final

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig’s Scandinavian duo Emil Forsberg and Yussuf Poulsen teamed up on Tuesday to fire their team to a first ever German Cup final with a 3-1 win at Hamburg. 

Poulsen and Forsberg have been in fine form of late, and the Danish and Swedish internationals both found the net against the three-time cup winners.

Clear favourites going into the tie, Leipzig looked nervous with the score level at half-time, but they showed their class in the second half to set up a date with either Bayern Munich or Werder Bremen in next month’s final.

The meeting in Berlin will be a chance for Leipzig to win a first major trophy in their ten-year history.

Leipzig appeared to be on course when Poulsen rose unmarked at a corner to head them in front on 12 minutes. 

Yet Bakery Jatta turned the game on its head with some quick thinking on 24 minutes.

Preying on Leipzig’s high line, Jatta stole the ball from Kevin Kampl before lobbing goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi to draw Hamburg level. 

Khaled Narey missed a huge change to put the hosts ahead just before half-time, but Leipzig’s lead was restored after the break when an unfortunate Vasilie Janjicic turned Poulsen’s cross into his own net. 

Forsberg then hit the bar before finally sinking Hamburg with a net-busting strike 19 minutes from time.

Bremen host Bayern in the other semi-final on Wednesday evening, and the winner will meet Leipzig at the Olympic Stadium on May 25.