A German Cup quarterfinal between third division side Saarbrücken and Bundesliga team Borussia Mönchengladbach was abandoned shortly before kick-off on Wednesday because of a waterlogged pitch.

Stadium staff attempted to dry the heavily drenched pitch with leaf blowers but with no end to the persistent downpour in sight, the match was eventually canceled.

The huge puddles formed across the pitch were deemed to make playing the match too dangerous for the players, despite 16,000 spectators having braved the weather at the sold-out match.

"It was a brutally difficult decision but the injury risk was too high," referee Florian Badstübner told reporters. "We tried everything to have a match. Neither team was surprised by the decision."

Giant killers Saarbrücken aiming for third Bundesliga scalp

Saarbrücken had already beaten Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal second round last November with a 96th winning goal before defeating Eintracht Frankfurt in the third round in December to reach the last eight.

Sporting director Jürgen Luginger said: "It made sense to cancel the game although we would have liked to have played."

Meanwhile, Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus told Sky TV: "We would have liked to play but it was the absolutely correct decision. The players' health comes first. We will find a date that suits both teams. But first the pitch must be in an acceptable condition again."

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen beat Stuttgart 3-2 on Tuesday, with a 90th minute winning goal from Jonathan Tan, to join second tier sides Fortuna Düsseldorf and Kaiserslautern in the semifinals.

The semifinal ties will be drawn on Saturday and will be played on April 2 and 3, with the final taking place on May 25 in Berlin.

km/msh, jsi (dpa, AP)