Alemannia Aachen qualified for the final of the Middle Rhine Cup in front of a record crowd only in extra time.
Alemannia Aachen is in the final of the Middle Rhine Cup! In front of 25,500 spectators at the Tivoli – more than double the previous record for a Middle Rhine Cup match – the Kaiserstädter needed a dramatic extra time to overcome 1. FC Düren. Joker Thilo Töpken became the cup hero.
The home side tried to control the game from the outset, but were up against an aggressive and disciplined opponent. The game was characterized by many duels in the first half, which nipped Aachen’s attacking efforts in the bud.
Düren, on the other hand, lurked for moments of transition and so created two great chances. Both resulted from overpaying situations, with Simon Breuer getting on the end line both times. First his shot was too imprecise (20′) – partly because Florian Heister disturbed Ismail Harnafi enough to influence the pass – then he found his master in Marcel Johnen (37′).
It took 49 minutes before Alemannia had their first noteworthy attacking action: An attempted clearance by the visitors landed at the feet of Kilian Pagliuca, whose shot was blocked. Aachen had now found their way towards goal and also had further shots on goal. The substitute Dustin Willms was mostly involved (58′, 62′). However, 1. FC Düren remained dangerous. And scored: After a build-up mistake by Heister, the ball ended up with Abdul Fesenmeyer, who was offside (51′).
Aachen were the more dangerous team after the break on a now rain-soaked pitch. However, neither Sasa Strujic, who hit the post from a relatively free position (69′), nor Bastian Müller, who shot over from the winger’s pass, managed to take the lead.
Instead, both teams played out an intense and open final phase of regular time. Strujic finally had the chance to score a last-minute winner in stoppage time after a cross from Heister, but headed over (90+4). Extra time.
Thilo Töpken, who had come on as a substitute in the 88th minute, then made his appearance. Less than two minutes after the restart, the 25-year-old found Anton Heinz in the penalty area, who volleyed the cross into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 1-0 (92). Four minutes later, Töpken made the difference himself: Lukas Scepanik had put the ball through, the winter newcomer from SV Rödinghausen kept his cool and slotted home to make it 2:0 (96′).
Six minutes before the end, the visitors caused another anxious few minutes with an own goal from Mika Hanraths, who deflected a sharp cross into the net. Without consequences.
Alemannia Aachen held on for a 2:1 win to advance to the final of the Middle Rhine Cup. Bonner SC awaits them there on May 25. The winner will advance to the 2024/2025 DFB Cup