Apr 21, 2009, 21:44 GMT
Dusseldorf - Bayer Leverkusen needed extra-time before eventually running out 4-1 winners Tuesday against second division Mainz 05 in the semi-final of the German Cup.
The victory books Leverkusen's third final place where the club will face SV Hamburg or Werder Bremen, who meet in the other semi- final Wednesday.
The tie at the LTU Arena in Dusseldorf, where Leverkusen are playing their home ties, finished level at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes but goals from Arturo Vidal, Simon Rolfes and Michal Kadlec secured what turned out be a facile win for the Bundesliga side.
'We showed incredible attitude,' said Leverkusen coach Bruno Labbadia while his Mainz counterpart Joern Andersen admitted Leverkusen 'were simply cleverer.'
Although Leverkusen dominated throughout, the Mainz defence remained resolute and it needed a piece of opportunism from substitute Angelos Charisteas eight minutes from time to eventually break the deadlock.
The Greek striker put himself in the right place at the right time, stabbing home from four metres after Mainz goalkeeper Dimo Wache could only parry Renato Augusto's strike from the edge of the area.
Mainz managed to level the tie one minute from the end of regulation time when Charisteas, lying in area after taking a knock, played Aristide Bance onside when the Burkina Faso forward headed in a cross from Milorad Pekovic.
However, Leverkusen quickly wrestled control of the tie two minutes into the first period of extra time with a goal from Vidal before further strikes from Rolfes and Kadlec, whose father Miroslav Kadlec won the cup with Kaiserslautern, ensured a comfortable win and a place in next month's final in Berlin.
'Naturally we are disappointed,' said Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel. 'We still hoped when it went to extra time that a shock could still happen.'
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