Third division side FC Erzgebirge Aue have made it through to the quarter-finals of the Saxon Football State Cup. In a rematch of last season's final, the visitors won 1:0 (1:0) at cup holders 1. FC Lok Leipzig. The match-winner was Marcel Bär, who scored with a header after 41 minutes on his starting debut after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.
As in the cup final, there was no difference in class to be seen. The leaders of the Regionalliga Nordost played courageously going forward, but there were no big chances. The tall Auer defenders largely kept things quiet in front of Louis Lord's goal, who played for captain Martin Männel in the cup in accordance with an agreement. He justified his trust in the 16th minute when he made a strong save from Alexander Siebeck's long-range shot.
Third division side take control midway through the first half
Aue had more of the action at the other end from the 25th minute onwards. The Violets combined well several times up to the penalty area. In the 28th minute, Lok goalkeeper Andreas Naumann prevented Pascal Fallmann from going behind. He had no chance against Bär's sensitive header after a cross from Julian Günther-Schmidt, who had come on for the injured Julian Guttau.
Aue completely let their opponents take control of the game
After the break, it became a game to a goal - the visitors' goal. Inexplicably, coach JJns Härtel's team withdrew extremely far back, leaving the game to Lok and hardly providing any relief. Leipzig created chances, but were repeatedly thwarted by the visitors' stubborn defense. Substitute Mingi Kang touched the crossbar of the Auer goal with his shot in the 80th minute. Lok continued to lay siege to the Auer penalty area in the final minutes, but nothing countable emerged.
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