Stuttgart keep dream alive

Antonio da Silva scored for Stuttgart in the 16th minute with a well-placed free kick from 25 metres that just cleared the Wolfsburg wall.

Wolfsburg, sorely missing injured strikers Mike Hanke and Diego Klimowicz, thought they had equalised in the 52nd minute when Marcelinho collected a through ball and shot past Stuttgart keeper Timo Hildebrand.

But the goal was disallowed when the referee ruled Marcelinho offside even though TV replays appeared to show that was not the case.

"There's no way in the world he was offside," Wolfsburg coach Klaus Augenthaler told German television. "The referee was actually good except he made mistakes in the decisive moment.

They make these wrong decisions that cost us millions."

Marcelinho said it was an unfortunate way to be knocked out.

"You can't do anything more about it now," he said. "The referee will see the replay and know he made a mistake."

Stuttgart - still in the hunt for the Bundesliga crown in third place, four points behind leaders Schalke 04 - play Nuremberg in the German Cup final on May 26 in Berlin.

Nuremberg crushed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 on Tuesday.

"It was our main goal for the season to reach the final and we've done it," said Stuttgart coach Armin Veh. "The cup is special. I've gone to watch the final in Berlin every year as a spectator so it's great to go now as a coach."