It was a happy and satisfied Thomas Tuchel who appeared in front of the media at 23:10 CET. "It was clear we'd need the luck on our side and it was tonight," said the BVB boss after the dramatic semi-final victory over FC Bayern Munich.

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"We were very good in the opening 20 minutes and very calm in possession. We then took a curious, but not undeserved lead. After that we lost our way a bit, started not to defend well, weren't getting stuck into the challenges, had a low pass completion rate and didn't have any control over the match," said Borussia Dortmund's coach as he reflected on the tie. "Bayern had the chance to decide the game shortly before and after the break. If they'd gone 3-1 up, we'd probably be sitting here having deservedly lost."

But there was to be a happier ending. Despite spells – between the 30th and 45th minutes – in which the hosts were overwhelmingly dominant, the Black and Yellows bounced back having survived two major chances that they had gifted to Bayern at the start of the second half. "We got away with it there," admitted Tuchel. "Situations like that can decide a game at this level. In any case, it helped to give us our self-confidence back."

Borussia worked their way back into the game. "We improved again from the 65th minute onwards, had more courage in possession and started to win more tackles again." Midway through the first period BVB had won 60 percent of the challenges but by the interval they were lagging behind with 43 percent. They made up for it in the final half hour, though, coming out on top so often that the tackle win rate was positive by the end. Tuchel said: "We were physically holding our own again; then it was an open game." With a crazy outcome for the Black and Yellows...

"We scored two outstanding goals and showed great passion in seeing the win through. It is a sensational feeling," said Tuchel, who then turned his attention back to Bayern's period of dominance. "At times we rode our luck in certain situations. This success is indispensable for our self-confidence and for the team's development."

Now Borussia Dortmund have reached a fourth successive DFB Cup final, where they will face Eintracht Frankfurt on 27 May. Tuchel concluded: "We don't just want to make it to Berlin this year, we want to go there to win it." (br)