Christopher Nkunku dazzles yet again as RB Leipzig reach DFB Cup semi-finals at Hannover’s expense
Christopher Nkunku stole the spotlight yet again on Wednesday, scoring his 24th and 25th goals of the season to kickstart RB Leipzig’s 4-0 win against Bundesliga 2 side Hannover and book their spot in the DFB Cup semi-finals.
Hannover, currently 12th in Germany’s second tier, began on the front foot as they attempted to spring a surprise on their visitors, pressing aggressively high up the pitch. However, Leipzig’s quality soon began to tell as they played their way up the pitch, and Dani Olmo had the first sight of goal with a looping shot that sailed just over. The Spaniard was rather more precise a few minutes later, driving forward in midfield before threading a pass through the home defence for Nkunku to finish from 16 yards. Nkunku doubled his tally shortly afterwards, this time collecting a Josko Gvardiol pass, rounding goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, outfoxing a defender and coolly stroking in from close range. Gvardiol almost put the result out of reach by half-time when he redirected a Willi Orban header at close range following a corner, but Zieler produced a stunning save to maintain at least a sliver of hope for Hannover going into the second half.
A comeback never looked likely though, with Leipzig continuing to control possession and force their hosts to chase the game. Domenico Tedesco’s men effectively sealed the win midway through the half when Konrad Laimer played a neat one-two with Andre Silva on the edge of the box before drilling an angled shot into the bottom corner. Silva also got in on the act in the closing stages, tapping in on the line after an Angelino cross from the left ricocheted kindly into his path. The visitors took their foot off the pedal after that, aware of the need to save energy as the Bundesliga's only club still participating in three competitions, but they continued to deny Hannover any chance of a consolation goal as they swept into the DFB Cup last four.
Match stats
Nkunku now has four goals and two assists in the 2021/ DFB Cup.
It was never in any doubt, was it? Superb team display by the twice-beaten finalists, who join Union Berlin in the pot for the last four.
Full-time
UP FOR THE CUP
Utterly professional performance from Leipzig, who have more than lived up to their competition favourites billing. Tedesco's side will take some stopping in their bid to land a first major trophy.
Nkunku makes way with 15 still to play. Tedesco will want to protect his star man ahead of Saturday's meeting with top-four rivals Freiburg. Even they'll do well to stop him. The Frenchman's scored 10 goals in as many competitive games since the turn of the year.
A brilliant team goal makes it four. Leipzig work over the Hannover rearguard, expertly switching the play from right to left. Forsberg slips Angelino into the channel... his cross deflects off Muroya, ballooning over Zieler and onto the toe of Silva, who's practically on the goalline.
Silva outfoxes his marker with a cute roll and shot in the Hannover box that's blocked. He's been kept pretty quiet, but it only takes one moment of magic where players of his calibre are concerned...
55'
AND THERE'S THE CHANGE
Tedesco sees no reason to risk Gvardiol. Lukas Klostermann is on in his stead.
Will Nkunku complete his hat-trick or are we in for a Hannover turnaround?
45'
HALF TIME! HANNOVER 0-2 LEIPZIG
Leipzig are 45 minutes from a place in the DFB Cup semi-finals. They've been by far the superior side, and have two Nkunku goals to show for their dominance.
Half-time
44'
SIDE NETTING!
Leipzig go close to adding a third goal on the stroke of half time. Nkunku's the architect with a back-heel into the path of Laimer. He finds Henrichs to his right, but the shot can only find the side netting.
40'
OL-MOST!
Laimer works it quickly into the Hannover area. Olmo steps inside his marker, before digging out an outside-of-the-boot effort that's just too close to Zieler.
37'
SOLID AS A ROCK
Hannover attempt to make headway, but Kerk's ball into the box for Maina is fended clear by Simakan. Leipzig are still to concede in this season's DFB Cup, and have the second best defence in the Bundesliga after 24 matches (28 against).
LEIPZIG'S MAIN MAN
That's competitive goals 24 and 25 for the season for Nkunku. For reference, dyed-in-the-wool No.9 Robert Lewandowski has 39.
Olmo wins a corner that he leaves for Angelino. It's an inswinger, right onto the head of Orban. Gvardiol sticks out a boot to change the flight path, but Zieler springs to his right to swat the ball clear. Fabulous reactions.
22'
CHRISTO NKUNK-TWO!
Leipzig double their lead. Gvardiol powers forward from centre-back, before splitting the Hannover defence with a piercing ball through the middle. Nkunku's onside as he collects and rounds Zieler... the angle's tight, but he stands up a back-tracking defender before calmly stroking into the unguarded net from close range.
Leipzig's top scorer collects another inch-perfect pass into the Hannover area. The Frenchman is left of centre on this occasion, and draws a diving save from Zieler with a well-struck curling effort.
16'
NKUNKU WITH THE OPENER!
Leipzig forge ahead in style. The visitors play out from the back through Henrichs. It's worked into a central area, where Olmo has the time and space to feed the run of Nkunku. He glides into the box, and dispatches a clinical finish low to Zieler's right.
Hannover sense an opportunity as Gulacsi miscontrols Angelino's awkward backpass, but the Leipzig stopper recovers the danger and can clear.
8'
OL-NO!
Leipzig enjoy a spell of sustained pressure, with Henrichs seeing a cross blocked before working the ball back inside at the second attempt. Angelino floats one in next, with Hannover clearing as far as Olmo, who loops an ambitious effort comfortably over Zieler's goalframe.
5'
HOME BACKING
Roared on by a vociferous home crowd, Hannover have made an encouraging start. They're forcing mistakes from Leipzig, and pressing hard in midfield.
1'
REDS VS. WHITES
There's no mistaking who's who at the HDI Arena. Hannover are in their tradtional red shirts, Leipzig are in white.
Kick-off!
ELSEWHERE
Union Berlin advanced to the last four, thanks to a 2-1 win over St. Pauli last night. Hamburg and Karlsruhe are about to kick off in an all-Bundesliga 2 tie, ahead of a Bundesliga head-to-head between Bochum and Freiburg.
TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
"Leipzig will see this as their best chance at a first piece of major silverware," opined Hannover's Dabrowski. "We can't shut them out completely, so we'll have to work hard as a team to limit their chances and make the most of ours."
TEDESCO ACCEPTS 'FAVOURITES' TAG
"We can deal with the role of favourites and we’re happy to take on that tag," commented Leipzig's head coach prior to the tie. "It would be a disappointment for all of us if we don’t lift the DFB-Pokal. We want to win all of our games. We know it won’t be easy - we saw that against Babelsberg and Rostock, but we’re prepared."
3:39
WATCH: CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU UNDER THE TACTICAL MICROSCOPE
Leipzig talisman Nkunku has produced 23 goals and 11 assists across 35 games in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League/Europa League so far this season. Hannover's top marksman is the nine-goal Sebastian Kerk, who has two 2021/22 DFB Cup goals to Nkunku's one.
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Hannover beat Bayern Munich-besting Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 in the previous round of the cup. That followed victories in preceding stages against Eintracht Norderstedt (4-0) and Fortuna Düsseldorf (3-0). Leipzig - the highest-ranked team left in the competition - have also reached the quarter-finals without conceding after seeing off Sandhausen (4-0), Babelsberg (1-0) and Hansa Rostock (2-0).
1:58
WATCH: HANNOVER 2-0 HOLSTEIN KIEL
Hannover warmed up for Leipzig with victory over Hansa Rostock - their second straight win after getting the better of promotion candidates St. Pauli.
2:03
WATCH: BOCHUM 0-1 LEIPZIG
Nkunku came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as Leipzig edged Bochum at the Ruhrstadion on Sunday.
MORE ON THOSE TEAMS
Christoph Dabrowski tweaks the Hannover team that beat Hansa Rostock at the weekend. Sei Muroya, Gael Ondoua and Luka Krajnc beef up the defence, while Linton Maina is preferred to Cedric Teuchert in attack. Leipzig counterpart Domenico Tedesco means business with his selection, too. Josko Gvardiol returns at centre-back following suspension, and there are starting recalls for Benjamin Henrichs, Konrad Laimer, Dani Olmo, Andre Silva and Christopher Nkunku.
RB Leipzig have a huge opportunity to make it a case of third time lucky in the DFB Cup. Beaten finalists twice, including last season, Die Roten Bullen face Bundesliga 2's Hannover for a place in the semi-finals, with holders Borussia Dortmund and record winners Bayern Munich already out of the competition. Stay tuned!
