Freiburg stormed into their first-ever German Cup final with a clinical away performance to thrash second-division SV Hamburg 3-1 in the semi-final on Tuesday.
Nils Petersen headed in an 11th minute corner to set the tone and poor defending from the hosts saw Nicolas H?fler double the lead with a deflection soon after.
Vincenzo Grifo converted a harshly awarded penalty to effectively settle the tie before the break in favour of the fifth-placed Bundesliga side.
Robert Glatzel's header gave Hamburg a deserved goal three minutes from the end but it was little consolation.
Freiburg have never won a major title and will contest the May 21 cup final in Berlin's Olympic Stadium against RB Leipzig or Union Berlin, who play the other last four tie on Wednesday.
Fallen giants Hamburg are set to miss out on promotion back to the Bundesliga once more and their dreams of reaching a first cup final since 1987 were shattered emphatically.
Glatzel headed an early opportunity wide but when Hamburg failed to clear a corner, Petersen was more clinical from five metres at the other end.
Conceding possession deep in their own half cost Hamburg the second in the 17th minute with keeper Heuer Fernandes helpless as H?fler's shot beat him with a wicked deflection.
Anssi Suhonen fired a great opportunity to cut the deficit straight at keeper Mark Flekken and Hamburg's hopes ended with the controversial award of a 34th minute penalty.
Defender Moritz Heyer went to control the ball in the box but instead - seemingly unavoidably - made contact with the head of Nico Schlotterbeck, who was off balance and falling to the ground.
After video review a foul was given and Grifo slammed the spot-kick high into the net.
And VAR was cursed again by the home fans before half-time when Suhonen was seen to be marginally offside as he slotted past Flekken.
Bakery Jatta had a close-range header saved as Hamburg sought a way back into the game which finally arrived through Glatzel - but by the 87th minute it was way too late.
