Benjamin Šeško delivered a decisive 69th-minute penalty to propel RB Leipzig into the German Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg on Wednesday. The Slovenian striker capitalized after Kilian Fischer’s controversial handball decision, securing Leipzig’s fourth consecutive semifinal appearance in the competition they last won in 2023.
The match turned when Šeško’s close-range strike struck Fischer’s arm, with VAR upholding referee Tobias Welz’s call. Wolfsburg’s previously impenetrable cup defense – which saw three clean sheets against Koblenz, Dortmund, and Hoffenheim – finally cracked under pressure at Red Bull Arena.
Leipzig now joins an intriguing semifinal lineup featuring:
- Third-tier surprise package Arminia Bielefeld
- Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen
- Resurgent Stuttgart
Wolfsburg nearly broke the deadlock earlier when Mohamed Amoura’s second-half rocket rattled the crossbar. However, Marco Rose’s squad maintained composure, extending their unbeaten home cup streak to 15 matches since 2020.
The semifinal draw on Sunday will determine April’s matchups, with Leipzig eyeing back-to-back titles. Leverkusen remains tournament favorites under Xabi Alonso, while Bielefeld’s fairytale run continues as the first third-division semifinalist since 2011.
This victory reinforces Leipzig’s status as Germany’s cup specialists, having reached six semifinals in eight seasons. Šeško’s fourth goal in three matches further cements his growing reputation following his €24 million transfer from Red Bull Salzburg.
