Franck Ribery's penalty in the last minute of extra-time handed Bayern Munich a 1-0 win over 1860 and a place in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.A pulsating encounter, which Bayern dominated for long periods against their city rivals, seemed destined to go all the way to a penalty shoot-out.
But referee Peter Gagelmann, whose decision-making baffled both sets of supporters throughout the evening, deemed Chhunly Pagenburg to have fouled Miroslav Klose inside the area even though television replays showed the foul was committed a yard outside.
Even then the drama wasn't over. Ribery slotted home the spot-kick only for the official to order a retake because of encroachment from the Bayern players.
Ribery showed nerves of steel to casually chip his second attempt over the dive of 1860 goalkeeper Michael Hofmann.
Defeat was harsh on an 1860 side who defended bravely for much of the contest.
Bayern's Italy striker Luca Toni earlier had two goals disallowed before then getting himself sent off for picking up a second yellow card with a needless push on Markus Thorandt after 84 minutes.
However, the numbers were evened up when Benjamin Schwarz also saw two yellows and the subsequent red for a clash with Ribery after 111 minutes.
The 1860 defender pushed Ribery in the armpit only for the France international to shamefully go down clutching his face, fooling the referee in the process.
There was still time for a third dismissal after Ribery's goal with Thorandt dismissed for chopping down Ribery on the half-way line.
Earlier on Wednesday, an extra-time goal from Marcelinho enabled Wolfsburg to beat Hamburg 2-1.
The Brazilian slotted the ball past Hamburg keeper Frank Rost with 11 minutes of the extra period remaining.
Marcelinho's countryman Grafite put the home side ahead with a 17th-minute penalty after he had been fouled by Joris Mathijsen.
Holland midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, who also hit a post after 50 minutes, scored a fine equaliser for Hamburg with 20 minutes of normal time remaining.
Faltering Bundesliga champions Stuttgart went out to second division strugglers Carl-Zeiss Jena on Tuesday night.
Antonio Da Silva's miss in a penalty shoot-out saw last season's finalists eliminated at the quarter-final stage, with the visitors converting all five spot-kicks to reach the last four for the first time in their history.
The game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes. Tobias Werner shocked the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium by putting the guests ahead in the 32nd minute but Mario Gomez forced extra-time with an equaliser nine minutes from the end.
He then put Armin Veh's side ahead in the fourth minute of extra-time, before Robert Muller equalised with the last kick of the game.
In Tuesday's other quarter-final, Borussia Dortmund went a step closer to a return to European football by ending the hopes of Hoffenheim with a 3-1 win.
Thomas Doll's side saw off the ambitious second division side, largely thanks to two goals in three minutes from Giovanni Federico (20) and Tinga (23).
Francisco Copado did pull a goal back for Hoffenheim from the penalty spot in the 38th minute. Despite that, the result was rarely in any doubt and Mladen Petric sealed matters 10 minutes into the second half.
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