21:21 Goals from Castro, Reus and Mkhitaryan have secured a place in the DFB Pokal final for Borussia Dortmund. They'll be facing Bayern Munich after their win against Werder Bremen on Tuesday evening. I've been your host, Daniel Pinder - Follow VAVEL for all the latest news.
Full-time: Hertha BSC 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
83' Scoreline incredibly harsh on Hertha BSC with this second-half performance. Reus squares the ball to Mkhitaryan who couldn't miss from one yars.
GOAL! Hertha BSC 0-3 Borussia Dortmund (Mkhitaryan, 83)
77' Gundogan's first touch almost ends in a goal! His shot cannons back off the post.
74' It's another Kagawa cutback and it's another goal for Borussia Dortmund. Surely there's no comeback for Hertha BSC now - who have looked a totally different team this half, but unfortunately for the capital club, Reus was on the end of Kagawa's cross.
GOAL! Hertha BSC 0-2 Borussia Dortmund (Reus, 74).
73' Hertha BSC fans really starting to believe now. Two world class saves from Jarstein and now Kalou comes close for Hertha. Diving header inches away from finding the bottom corner. Borussia Dortmund looking disorganised.
69' Jarstein is there with another save! World class from the Norwegian to deny Mkhitaryan.
67' Ramos with the chance to double Borussia Dortmund's lead against his former club. Jarstein with the reflex save.
65' Schieber replaces Haraguchi. Dardai taking his chances now.
64' Baumjohann is making an instant impact. Hertha BSC's corner is flicked on by Brooks - but Kalou is unable to make a connection with the ball at the far post.
62' Baumjohann replaces Hegeler for Hertha BSC.
58' 76,000 in attendance at the Olympiastadion tonight. They're making themselves heard, but Hertha BSC have failed to step up their performance as of yet.
56' Borussia Dortmund with the spell of possession now. Hummels happy to play the ball forward from the back. That's three times in the last couple of minutes. Pass, pass, move from Dortmund who string together 20 odd passes - an almost perfect goal but Jarstein collects.
50' Dardai must have spurred his team on during the break - because they've seen a lot more of the ball than they did in the first-half. ?
46' Hertha BSC get this tie back underway.
20:25 Hertha BSC have Stocker on the bench who can change a game, whilst Schieber scored in Hertha's 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in December 2014.
20:22 Borussia Dortmund have been by far the better side this evening, but lets not rule out Hertha BSC yet. Thomas Tuchel will be disappointed at going into half-time just a goal up, and with Hegeler's opportunity to equalise late on in the first-half, chances are there.
Half-time: Hertha BSC 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (Castro, 20).
44' Hegeler has the chance to equalise the scores with the last kick of the half. Acres of space inside the penalty area, but the midfielder fails to test Bürki.
42' Reus stings the fingertips of Jarstein from 25-yards. The resulting corner is cleared by Hertha BSC.
40' Another chance goes begging for Borussia Dortmund. Hummels with the chance to double Dortmund's lead before the break after bulldozing his way through the Hertha BSC defence.
38' Plattenhardt delivers the corner for Hertha BSC but it's past everyone.
36' Hertha BSC really haven't got going yet. Dardai will be hoping his side get into the break at just a goal down.
29' Mkhitaryan's free-kick is wide of Jarstein's post. Borussia Dortmund pressing really high up the pitch - but Hertha BSC playing it out from the back - thus losing the ball.
25' Huge chance goes begging for Borussia Dortmund. This time it's an attack from the left. Schmelzer's low cross finds Reus on the penalty spot - but instead of placing the ball, the 26-year-old blazes the ball over the bar.
20' Kagawa finds himself in behind the Hertha BSC defence who fail to clear the ball effectively. Castro finds the ball at his feet - with the midfielder placing the ball in the back of the net from the edge of the area.
GOAL! Hertha BSC 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (Castro, 20).
16' Ramos' cross almost causes Hertha problems but Jarstein manages to clear the ball. Borussia Dortmund very much on top at the minute.
12' Mkhitaryan floats the ball over the Hertha defence to Kagawa - but the Japanese international fails to generate enough pace on his header to find Reus.
9' Hertha BSC have dealt with Borussia Dortmund's front three so far with Ramos, Reus and Mkhitaryan failing to create anything of note.
2' Borussia Dortmund have seen most of the ball in these opening stages. Kagawa almost crafts out their first chance but it's great defending from Brooks.
1' Bayern Munich already through. Borussia Dortmund get this semi-final underway kicking from left-to-right. The atmosphere tonight is outstanding.
19:25 We're moments away form kick-off in Berlin. Can Hertha BSC upset the odds - or will Borussia Dortmund make another DFB Pokal final?
19:17 The winners will face Bayern Munich after they beat Werder Bremen last night.
Borussia Dortmund XI: Bürki - Schmelzer, Bender, Hummels, Piszczek - Castro, Weigl - Reus, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan - Ramos
Hertha BSC XI: Jarstein - Weiser, Brooks, Stark, Plattenhardt - Skjelbred, Lustenberger, Hegeler, - Haraguchi, Ibisevic, Kalou
Can Hertha BSC do it? Can they go against the odds and beat Borussia Dortmund? Can they qualify for the Champions League? Many Berliners who have been through thick and thin with their team cannot believe it. But after years of mediocrity, Berlin finally has a team befitting the capital.
Expectations are high in Berlin this evening. The game is described to be "the biggest game of the younger club history," on Hertha BSC's official website. The club have produced many youngsters over the years, but now they have the chance to beat Borussia Dortmund, and play in the final 23 years on from the last.
Hertha BSC vs Borussia Dortmund will be played at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, the place where the winner will return for the final – where they will face either Bayern Munich or Werder Bremen. Follow VAVEL UK for all the build-up and minute-by-minute action in this DFB Pokal semi-final.
“We need to be mentally fresh,” said Dardai after their defeat to Hoffenheim. “The players have put the defeat behind them – they’re really up for it like the entire city is. I always dreamed of reaching the final here in Berlin as a player, but now the belief is there. Dortmund are still favourites, but I’ve convinced myself we’re going to win 5-4 on penalties. Everyone’s allowed to dream.”
“If last Thursday hadn’t happened, we’d still be well on course for a great season,” Dortmund captain Mats Hummels told dfb.de. “So it’s no surprise that we want to reach the DFB Cup final on Wednesday. We want to win the cup as it’s our last remaining chance this season. We want to return to Berlin this season.”
With Aubameyang out injured, this means that Ramos will start. The Colombian international has scored four goals in his last five matches after spending five years at Hertha BSC before his switch to Dortmund.
Possible Dortmund XI: Bürki - Piszczek, Sokratis, Hummels (c), Schmelzer - Weigl, Castro - Mkhitaryan, Kagawa, Reus – Ramos.
Possible Hertha XI: Jarstein - Weiser, Stark, Brooks, Plattenhardt - Skjelbred, Lustenberger (c) - Haraguchi, Darida, Kalou – Ibisevic.
The last meeting between the two teams finished in a goalless draw at the Olympiastadion in the Bundesliga. Hertha BSC have to go back to December 2014 for their last victory over Borussia Dortmund – a 1-0 victory with Julian Schieber the hero. Thomas Tuchel does already have a win over Hertha this season which came in August. Mats Hummels and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Dortmund in the lead before Salomon Kalou pulled one back. Adrian Ramos, who is likely to lead the line on Wednesday evening added one in stoppage time.
Vedad Ibiševi? has found the back of the net on two occasions in the DFB Pokal this season, taking his tally up to 11 in all competitions in 27 appearances. Although their number one striker, Salomon Kalou will be Borussia Dortmund’s biggest threat on Wednesday evening. The Ivory Coast international is having one of his best seasons, scoring 19 goals in all competitions in 39 appearances. Dortmund are going to have to keep the former-Chelsea forward if they are to progress.
Aubameyang, 26, has missed just four games this season, and with 37 goals and 12 assists in 45 games for Dortmund this season, Aubameyang has been one of Thomas Tuchel’s most consistent performers alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus.
Last season’s runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, will be without star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after picking up a toe injury. The Bundesliga club announced that the Gabon international had to stop training on Monday due to a “very painful” toe injury which has been causing problems in the lead up to this tie. The club later confirmed that Aubameyang had undergone an MRI scan which found bone splintering in his toe.
Borussia Dortmund soon put their Europa League heartbreak behind them with a comfortable 3-0 win over Hamburger SV on Sunday afternoon. “We’re in good spirits ahead of the game in Berlin. We want to reach the final. That is our only mindset,” said Thomas Tuchel.
A club steep in tradition, Hertha will be looking to start a new chapter with a cup final appearance – but first, they will have to overcome a strong Borussia Dortmund team. “We are very proud to have already come this far. We’re going to play with great joy and even greater passion. I’ve been with Hertha for 20 years and have waited 20 years for Wednesday night,” said Hertha BSC’s sporting director, Michael Preetz.
Hertha BSC have to go all the way back to 1981 since the last time they were in the cup semi-finals. Even their reserve side surprised everyone in 1993 by reaching the final – with the oldest player being a 23-year-old – before losing out to Bayer Leverkusen by one goal.
It took Dortmund over an hour to score against Augsburg in the last 16. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang broke the deadlock after 61 minutes before Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubled Dortmund’s lead five minutes later – which ultimately set up a quarter-final tie against VfB Stuttgart. Marco Reus opened up the scoring after five minutes before Lukas Rupp equalised for Stuttgart midway through the first half. Aubameyang put his side in the lead again before Mkhitaryan put the game beyond doubt in the 89th minute.
Borussia Dortmund’s passage to the semi-final was much tougher, facing both FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart in the latter stages of the competition. Thomas Tuchel started off his campaign against Chemnitzer FC which resulted in a 2-0 away victory before the Bundesliga club put seven goals past a poor SC Paderborn 07 team.
1. FC Nürnburg have been Hertha’s biggest threat in the DFB Pokal this season, but a 2-0 victory away from home with goals from Vladamir Darida and John Brooks set up a tie against FC Heidenheim in the quarter-finals. Hertha went a goal down inside the opening 10 minutes but a brace from Vedad Ibiševi? and a goal from Genki Haraguchi meant that Hertha would be through to the semi-finals of the Pokal.
Hertha BSC started their DFB Pokal campaign against the team that knocked them out on penalties last season, Arminia Bielefeld. Goals from Salomon Kalou and Vladamir Darida secured Hertha a place in the next round against 2. Bundesliga side FSV Frankfurt, in which an extra-time penalty secured Hertha’s passage to the last 16.
Pál Dárdai’s Hertha BSC are having a magnificent season by their standards, and one that hasn’t been expected from any German football followers. Their former-player has guided them to fourth in the Bundesliga with just four games remaining, and with a Pokal tie against Borussia Dortmund on the cards, silverware this season is a real possibility.
Hello and welcome to VAVEL UK’s live minute-by-minute match coverage and commentary between Hertha BSC and Borussia Dortmund. This evening’s kick-off in the DFB Pokal semi-final is 1930GMT, but until then – follow VAVEL UK for pre-match build-up and analysis from me, Daniel Pinder.