Bayer Leverkusen celebrate German double with DFB Cup final win over Kaiserslautern
A superb Granit Xhaka strike proved the difference as Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen edged past Bundesliga 2's Kaiserslautern to make it a German double with victory in the 2023/24 DFB Cup final.
Kaiserslautern 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Xhaka 16'
Red card: Kossounou 44'
Kaiserslautern were backed by a vociferous following in Berlin as they went out eager to shake off their underdogs tag and spoil Leverkusen's double dream. Daniel Hanslik sent a testing drive on the champions' goal in the opening minutes and Lukáš Hrádecký dived well to keep it out. Xabi Alonso's charges soon showed the kind of quality that took them to an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season, though, with Jeremie Frimpong, Patrik Schick and Florian Wirtz all threatening. The breakthrough came with 15 minutes on the clock when Xhaka latched on to a loose ball to dispatch a deadly drive into the top corner from over 20 yards out. Leverkusen continued to pile the pressure on their Bundesliga 2 opponents, with Alex Grimaldo almost setting up a second for Schick before sending a shot wide. Just when Leverkusen appeared to be breezing towards a win, the first half had a final twist in store as Odilon Kossounou was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Boris Tomiak. Tobias Raschl then drove wide when he could have levelled in first-half stoppage time.
A trio of half-time substitutes were in the thick of things after the restart. Amine Adli hit the first effort of the second period before Josip Stanišić headed narrowly wide from a corner. Leverkusen appeared to be back in control of proceedings, but Kaiserslautern substitute Ragnar Ache flashed an effort wide before having a shot saved. Tymoteusz Puchacz also fired wide before Frimpong brought the ball into a threatening position and Adli steered a shot narrowly off target in a relatively open and even final phase. Despite not gaining the kind of dominance on the night that was expected, Leverkusen took their lead over the line to send their fans wild with a second DFB Cup in club history and a first domestic double.
Watch: Leverkusen win 2023/24 double!
Click here for DFB Cup final reaction!
Match stats
- Leverkusen finished 2023/24 unbeaten in domestic competition across 34 Bundesliga and six DFB Cup games.
- Alonso's the third man after Niko Kovač and Hansi Flick to win a Bundesliga-DFB Cup double as a player and coach.
- Leverkusen also won the 1992/93 DFB Cup, before runners-up finishes in 2001/02, 2008/09 and 2019/20. They have become only the sixth club to win the domestic double in Germany.
- Xhaka's strike was his first ever in the DFB Cup.
- Adli finishes this season's DFB Cup as top scorer, with five goals.
- The match was Friedhelm Funkel's last as Kaiserslautern coach after taking over in February.
Line-ups
Kaiserslautern: Krahl - Zimmer (c) (Touré 90+3'), Tomiak, Elvedi, Puchacz - Kaloc, Raschl (Klement 83') , Zolinski (Tachie 74'), Ritter, Redondo (Opoku 83') - Hanslik (Ache 46')
Unused subs: Himmelmann, Ronstadt, Aremu
Out: Niehues (knee), Zuck (knee)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel
Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba - Frimpong (Tella 90+3'), Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo (Hincapie 85') - Hofmann (Stanišić 46'), Wirtz (Hložek 90+3') - Schick (Adli 46')
Unused subs: Kovář, Palacios, Boniface, Iglesias
Coach: Xabi Alonso
As it happened!
0 - 1
(0 - 1)
Kaiserslautern
FINAL
Leverkusen
DFB Pokal
Final Final Olympiastadion, Berlin
Final Final Olympiastadion, Berlin
0:24
Watch: Party time for Leverkusen fans!
90'
+ 6
Leverkusen win the double!
They've done it! Bayer Leverkusen add the DFB Cup to their Bundesliga title. It wasn't easy, but they managed the challenge of playing the second half with 10 men with real professionalism.
Full-time
90'
+ 5
Caution
Xhaka throws himself at a loose ball on the edge of the area to make a heroic clearance. He's caught by Tomiak in the process, but it's Klement who goes into the book for his reaction to the referee's whistle.
90'
+ 5
Yellow card
90'
+ 3
Substitution
90'
+ 3
Substitution
90'
+ 3
Substitution
90'
SIX added minutes!
Do Kaiserslautern have one last push in them?
89'
Half chances
It suddenly opens up for Hincapié on the break. He clips a pass back to Frimpong, who loses his footing in the penalty area, just when the chance was on. Bayer come again as Wirtz meets Xhaka's clipped pass, but Grahl is alert to the danger and is out quickly to block. Two big let-offs for Kaiserslautern.
87'
Winding down the clock
Hradecky's in no rush to release the ball after coming to claim a searching cross from the left-hand side. There will be a lengthy amount of stoppage time, remember...
85'
Substitution
84'
Close!
Wirtz shows a great touch to bring a long ball under wraps in the FCK area, but he can't get round his marker. Heavy legs from the youngster...
83'
Attacking changes
It's now or never for Funkel's team. They go on the attack, but Ritter's long-range effort is charged down.
83'
Substitution
83'
Substitution
79'
Good spell for Leverkusen
They're dictating the pace again, and still managing to press high, despite having to play with 10 men since late in the first half.
75'
What a chance!
Wirtz works his magic and sends Frimpong in on goal. The Leverkusen full-back rounds Grahl, but without looking goes for the cut-back, which he plays straight to a Kaiserslautern defender. All he had to do was glance across at the box, and he'd have seen Wirtz unmarked. Adli then hits one wide from distance.
73'
Fresh legs
Forward Tachie's on for defender Zolinski. The Kaiserslautern substitute has three goals and six assists so far this season.
73'
Substitution
70'
Mixed feelings
The Leverkusen fans are in fine voice, but these are nervy times for the Bundesliga champions. Alonso may be considering further changes as his players tire...
Possession count
© IMAGO/Jerry Andre
62'
Head-Ache for Leverkusen
The Kaiserslautern sub wriggles away from Tah around 20 yards from goal, before drawing a strong diving save from Hradecky. Alonso looks on pensively...
59'
Warning shot
Ache wins a long ball ahead of Tah. The former Frankfurt forward runs towards the edge of the area, but his low strike lacks power and precision, and Hradecky just watches it wide.
55'
Power of the punch
Krahl's taking no chances as Adli fires in a dipping strike from range. Stanišić meets Grimaldo's ensuing corner, the Bayern Munich loanee glancing a header wide.
53'
Set up to counter
Leverkusen hog the ball, before a mistake allows Ache a chance to instigate a break on halfway. He lays the ball off and races towards the edge of the box, but the return pass is picked off by a black shirt.
50'
Play resumes
Away we go again in the German capital...
47'
Stoppage
The referee halts play as some Kaiserslautern fans let off fireworks in the stand behind the Leverkusen goal.
46'
Second-half changes
Josip Stanišić is on to plug the gap left by Odilon Kossounou, while Amine Adli replaces lone striker Patrik Schick. Kaiserlautern make one change, with top scorer Ragnar Ache - a doubt before the game - on for Daniel Hanslik
46'
Substitution
46'
Substitution
46'
Substitution
Kick-off!
0:21
Watch: All Granit Xhaka's Bundesliga goals
Half-time! Kaiserslautern 0-1 Leverkusen
© Lars Baron
Half-time
45'
+ 2
Wide!
Leverkusen don't deal with a ball into the box. It's knocked back for Raschl, who drives agonisingly wide of the far post. The keeper was beaten!
45'
Time added on
Three minutes at the end of a curious first half...
43'
Kossounou sent off!
Well, well. Leverkusen are reduced to 10 men as Kossounou collects his second booking - this one for a dangerous, studs-up challenge on Tomiak. Kaiserslautern might not get a better chance to turn things around...
43'
Second yellow card
41'
Flo-look pass
Wirtz tries to disguise a reverse pass into the feet of Schick, but overcooks his effort and the ball goes straight through to Krahl.
39'
One-way traffic
Leverkusen have the white shirts hemmed in their own half. The Red Devils will do well to get to the break only a goal down...
0:19
Watch: Leverkusen fans celebrate Xhaka's rocket
33'
Redondo a threat
Another shaky moment for Kossounou as he tussles for a long ball with Redondo, but the referee blows for a foul against the Kaiserslautern attacker. Not a bad ploy to target the Bayer defender, who's on a booking...
31'
Leverkusen in control
That goal has really unsettled Kaiserslautern. They've been chasing shadows ever since.
27'
Grimal-no!
The Spaniard is a whisker away from doubling Bayer's lead with an out-swinging free-kick. Is there anyone with a better knuckle-ball in football today?
25'
Tomiak to the rescue!
Grimaldo clips the ball to the left of the advancing Krahl. Schick looks set to turn it into the open net, but Tomiak has other ideas. Superb intervention.
No fake-out this time
© Stuart Franklin
19'
Invincible double?
A reminder that Leverkusen are unbeaten in competitive meetings with German opposition this season - 34 Bundesliga and five DFB Cup fixtures.
16'
Pick that out!
Xhaka thunders Leverkusen in front with an absolute rocket from over 20 yards out. Kaiserslautern just couldn't get the ball clear, and Bayer's midfield general made them pay with an unerring first-time hit for his first DFB Cup goal!
15'
Krahl to the rescue
Wirtz shows all his class with a waltzing run into the Kaiserslautern area. He then gets off a fierce low strike that Krahl does really well to block with his left leg.
13'
Denied!
Leverkusen attack with Grimaldo, who slides a ball towards Schick in the penalty area. He motions to apply a first-time finish, but Raschl slides in to make a crucial block.
11'
Right idea
Frimpong goes on a solo run up the right-hand side. He darts into the area and turns his marker, but the Dutchman's shot is fairly routine for Krahl at his near post.
8'
Taking it to the champs
Alonso warned in his pre-match presser that Kaiserslautern's league standing was irrelevant. They're certainly not playing like a lowly Bundesliga 2 outfit in the early exchanges, backed by a vociferous support.
4'
Worth a crack!
Kaiserslautern come again with Hanslik, who skates in off the right and draws a full-stretch save from Hradecky. The Red Devils mean business!
2'
First booking
Kossounou barges over Redondo as Kaiserslautern threaten on the counter. He goes into the book, before Hanslik sends in a free-kick that Bayer just about deal with.
2'
Yellow card
1'
Lively already!
Leverkusen are straight on the attack. Grimaldo swings over a cross towards Schick, but he's beaten to it on the edge of the six-yard box. Likely a sign of things to come...
Kick-off!
Niceties done
All smiles between captains Lukas Hradecky and Jean Zimmer, with the Leverkusen skipper winning the toss and electing to kick off. Bastian Dankert is the man in the middle.
Teams out!
Leverkusen are in their usual black kits with red trim. Kaiserslautern are dressed in all white.
Kick-off approaching
The atmosphere is truly electric!
Kaiserslautern fans loving the occasion
© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl
0:33
Lively Leverkusen fans
More on that Kaiserslautern team
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
More on that Leverkusen team
© IMAGO/J¸rgen Schwarz
Kaiserslautern starting XI
Krahl - Zimmer (c), Tomiak, Elvedi, Puchacz - Kaloc, Raschl, Zolinski, Ritter, Redondo - Hanslik
Kaiserslautern subs
Himmelmann, Touré, Ronstadt, Toure, Aremu, Klement, Ache, Opoku
Leverkusen starting XI
Hrádecký (c) - Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo - Hofmann, Wirtz - Schick
Leverkusen subs
Kovář, Stanišić, Hincapie, Palacios, Adli, Boniface, Iglesias, Hložek, Tella
2:03
Watch: Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg - highlights
0:59
Watch: Kaiserslautern 5-0 Braunschweig - highlights
Leverkusen fuelled by Europa League heartache
Leverkusen were unbeaten in a European record 51 competitive matches, until losing 3-0 to Atalanta in Wednesday's Europa League final. Although disappointed, Alonso believes the setback will prompt the necessary response against Kaiserslautern. "The time for analysis is short because our focus is now on tomorrow," he said at his pre-match press conference. "What happened on Wednesday hopefully will not have much influence. We have to have the hunger, and I think after Wednesday we have it even more. We have to continue after the defeat. The goal is big. We can cap [the season] with the DFB Cup."
Double double?
© Alex Grimm
Ritter the key?
© IMAGO/Steven Mohr
Thirty rungs apart on the league ladder
Whilst Leverkusen were busy making history at the top of the German football pyramid, Kaiserslautern were, for a time, fighting to avoid relegation from Bundesliga 2. In the automatic drop zone for a few nervy weeks in April, the Red Devils ultimately finished 13th, three places and seven points clear of the relegation play-off spot.
3:33
Watch: Alonso's Bundesliga Invincibles
Cup pedigree
Kaiserslautern are two-time cup winners and five-time runners-up. They last reached the final in 2002/03, losing 3-1 to Bayern. Bayer, meanwhile, won the 1992/93 DFB Cup, before runners-up finishes in 2001/02, 2008/09 and 2019/20. Alonso's charges could become only the sixth club to win the domestic double in Germany.
4:00
Watch: Lukáš Hrádecký - my story
Alonso’s view on Kaiserslautern
© Getty Images
Funkel’s view on Leverkusen
© Getty Images
6:01
Watch: All of Leverkusen's 2023/24 DFB Cup goals
H2H
That game was one of six overall in the cup, with each team winning three. They have also faced off 56 times in the Bundesliga, although the most recent of those was in April 2012. Leverkusen have the edge with 26 league victories to Lautern's 18, with 12 draws.
Last time out
These teams last met in a competitive fixture in the DFB Cup last 16 in March 2015. That match finished 0-0 after 90 minutes, but goals from Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Stefan Kießling in extra time sent Leverkusen into the quarter-finals. Current Werkself sporting director, Simon Rolfes, played from start to finish.
2:43
Watch: All of Kaiserslautern's 2023/24 DFB Cup goals
How they got here: Leverkusen
© IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO
How they got here: Kaiserslautern
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
Welcome!
Bundesliga 2 outfit Kaiserslautern take on unbeaten Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in a real David vs. Goliath DFB Cup final. Stay tuned for build-up, live match coverage and reaction!
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