Nantes landed a spot in its first French League Cup final on Tuesday, winning 5-4 on penalty kicks over Auxerre after the match ended in a scoreless draw in regulation time.

　　Nantes will face the winners of the other semifinal, pitting Sochaux against Saint-Etienne, the only second-division side left in the competition.

　　The final is in Paris on April 17.

　　One break in the defense-dominated clash came in the 31st minute. Nantes seemed to score on a clever through-the-legs shot from defender Nicolas Gillet, but the goal was waved off because he was offside.

　　Nantes goalkeeper Mickael Landreau fared well to keep top Auxerre threat Djibril Cisse at bay. The France international striker leads the French first-division in scoring, with 17 goals in 22 matches.

　　An eager Landreau nearly ruined his side's chances to win during the penalty kicks. He blocked three shots - but the referee allowed two to be retaken because he jumped off the goal line too early.

　　The decisive deflection came against Auxerre midfielder Philippe Violeau. Diving hard to his right, Landreau flicked away the ball with a magnificent save with his outstretched left hand.

　　Landreau netted the fifth shot to ensure the win for Nantes.

　　In germany, French midfielder Joan Micoud scored a 90th minute goal and 50 seconds later set up the gamewinner as Werder Bremen charged back in dramatic style on Tuesday in the German Cup.

　　The bundesliga frontrunner, trailing 2-1 until the final seconds, beat Greuther Fuerth 3-2 to reach the Cup semifinals for the 17th time. Ivan Klasnic scored the injury time goal on the Frenchman's pass to stun the second division club.

　　"The end was bitter for us - I still don't exactly know how it happened," said Fuerth coach Thomas Kost.

　　Vfb luebeck also reached the final four on a 48th minute goal by Silvio Adzic, winning 1-0 to end outsider Hoffenheim's run. The third league team has just 3,400 residents in its town.

　　Goalie joerg Stiel held twice as Borussia Moenchengladbach also advanced 4-3 in a penalty shootout after 2-2 in regular play. The semifinal lineup will be completed after the game between Bayern Munich and Alemannia Aachen, which was to be played late yesterday.

　　Bremen was coasting comfortably on a 18th minute 1-0 lead by Canadian Paul Stalteri - then self-destructed late in the match and appeared destined for a huge upset.

　　A 74th minute own goal by Bremen's Valerien Ismael was followed two minutes later by former Bayer Leverkusen player Marcus Feinbeer volleying in a long downfield free kick to put Fuerth ahead 2-1.

　　On the second goal, Bremen goalie Andreas Reinke appeared to let the soft volley from Feinbeer slide through his hands. His club's self-destruction appeared complete in the 83rd minute when Umit Davila was sent off, leaving Bremen shorthanded.

　　But micoud, given much of the credit for Bremen's rise in the Bundesliga, turned around the match with the help of a Fuerth player's defender.

　　He stumbled over a cross from Bremen reserve forward Nelson Valdez and Micoud quickly rifled it in, triggering the end of Fuerth's hopes of the big upset.

　　In portugal, Geovanni and Zlatko Zahovic scored a goal each on Tuesday as Benfica - playing its first match since the death of striker Miklos Feher - beat Academica 2-0 in the Portuguese league.

　　The 24-year-old Hungary international died on January 25 after collapsing on the field during a league match at Guimaraes.

　　Tuesday's match was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday, but it was delayed two days because of the tragedy.

　　Zahovic, a Slovenia international, opened the scoring in the 28th minute, and Geovanni scored the team's second goal in the 67th minute. The Brazilian striker was making his return from injury after 10 weeks on the sidelines.

　　Benfica is in third place in the 18-team league with 43 points, trailing leader FC Porto by nine.