Erfurt/Jena, March 29, 2026. FC Carl Zeiss Jena advances to the final of the Thüringen-Pokal following a highly dramatic Thüringenderby. In a true goal spectacle, the Jena team ultimately prevailed in a penalty shootout against FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt and will now face defending champions ZFC Meuselwitz.
- Event: Semi-final of the Thüringen-Pokal
- Match: FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt – FC Carl Zeiss Jena
- Result: 4:2 in the penalty shootout (5:5 after extra time, 4:4 after 90 minutes)
- Decision: FCC goalkeeper Marius Liesegang parries two penalties, Nicolas Wahling converts the decisive shot
- Final: May 23, 2026, against ZFC Meuselwitz
Rollercoaster of Emotions in Regular Time
Spectators witnessed a Regionalliga duel that could hardly be surpassed in terms of drama. Goals were scored almost every minute as early as the first half. Justin Schau put the guests from Jena in the lead in the third minute before Maxime Awoudja (7th) equalized for Erfurt. Shortly after, Kevin Lankford (12th) restored the lead. Lankford also had an answer to Erfurt’s second equalizer, a penalty by Obed Chidindu Ugondu (31st), scoring just before the break (42nd) to make it 3:2 for Jena.
After the restart, however, the hosts stepped up. Til Schwarz (55th) and an unfortunate own goal by Jena’s Sören Reddemann (81st) suddenly put Erfurt on the path to victory. But Jena did not give up: with a direct free kick in the 88th minute, Nicolas Wahling saved his team into extra time – 4:4.
Extra Time and Penalty Thriller
The additional 30 minutes also remained spectacular. Initially, FCC benefited from an own goal by Erfurt’s Ben-Luca Moritz. However, in the 112th minute, RWE struck back once more: a shot by Boipelo Mashigo, deflected by Wahling, landed in the Jena net for a 5:5 equalizer. The decision had to be made from the spot.
In the penalty shootout, Jena’s goalkeeper Marius Liesegang became the match-winner. He parried the attempts of Erfurt’s Awoudja and Raphael Assibey-Mensah. The final point of a memorable afternoon of football was set by Nicolas Wahling, who safely converted the last penalty for a 4:2 final score in the shootout.
Outlook for the Final
The final opponent for FC Carl Zeiss Jena has already been determined: on May 23, the traditional Amateur Cup Day, they will face ZFC Meuselwitz. The reigning cup holders confidently won their semi-final 3:1 (1:0) at SV Blau-Weiß 91 Bad Frankenhausen. Christoph Pauling and Theo Teßmer put the Zipsendorf team on track, Luis Fischer secured the decision with a bicycle kick, before the hosts scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute through a penalty by Erik Schneider.
Background: The Significance of the Thüringen-Pokal
The encounter between FC Carl Zeiss Jena and FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt is considered the most prestigious Thüringenderby and traditionally electrifies tens of thousands of fans in the region. In addition to symbolic supremacy, the Thüringen-Pokal is primarily about the lucrative entry into the first main round of the DFB-Pokal. The winner of the final in May can not only look forward to guaranteed television money in the six-figure range but also has the chance of an attractive draw against a first or second-division team in front of a home crowd. For the economic and sporting planning of regional clubs, this competition is therefore of elementary importance.
Source:
Football: Goal Spectacle: Jena follows Meuselwitz into the Cup Final
Transparency Note: This article was automatically generated, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.