Dortmund players walk over the pitch after the match was cancelled on February 28, 2017. PHOTO: AFP
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund’s German Cup quarter-final at giant-killers Sportfreunde Lotte was called off on Tuesday because of heavy snowfall before kick-off.
Referee Felix Brych took the decision shortly before kick-off at 8:45pm (1945 GMT) after deciding the playing surface was unsafe.
A replacement date will be discussed on Wednesday, the German Football Association (DFB) said.
“I could not guarantee the health of the players, the surface was soaked,” Brych told broadcaster ARD. “The snow showers, an hour before the game, were fierce. The surface would have been ploughed up after 10 to 15 minutes.”
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Third-division Lotte have beaten Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen in previous rounds.
Earlier on Tuesday, Eintracht Frankfurt booked their place in the semi-finals with a 1-0 win at home to Arminia Bielefeld.
Danny Blum scored what proved to be Frankfurt’s winner after six minutes.
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There were emotional scenes in added time as defender Marco Russ came on for the final minutes for his first appearance since chemotherapy while suffering from cancer last year. The 31-year-old came on to loud applause on his return.
Cup holders Bayern Munich host Schalke 04 on Wednesday and Hamburg are at home to Borussia Monchengladbach in the other quarter-final.
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