Robert Lewandowski's brace helps Bayern Munich seal a league and cup double with DFB Cup victory over Bayer Leverkusen
Bayern Munich completed a league and cup double for the second year running as Robert Lewandowski got his 50th and 51st goals of the season to help them beat Bayer Leverkusen in Saturday’s DFB Cup final.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-4 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Alaba (16'), 0-2 Gnabry (24'), 0-3 Lewandowski (59'), 1-3 S. Bender (64'), 1-4 Lewandowsi (89'), 2-4 Havertz pen. (90+5')
Leverkusen were looking to win their first trophy for 27 years, and started with star player Kai Havertz in the central attacking role in which he had been so effective during the second half of the season. It was Bayern who swiftly took control, however, with Leon Goretzka denied by a Wendell block and Kingsley Coman seeing a shot smothered by Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky in the opening 10 minutes. Leon Bailey dragged the ball across goal in a rare Leverkusen break forward, but Peter Bosz's side were ruthlessly punished soon afterwards when Edmond Tapsoba crashed into Lewandowski on the edge of the box. Centre-back Alaba took the free-kick and, after a two-step run-up, the Austrian placed a sweet left-footed strike over the wall to give Bayern the lead. The defending champions didn't let up for a second, and Hradecky made a great reaction stop after Thomas Müller diverted Serge Gnabry's cross-shot goalwards. The reprieve was brief, however, since Gnabry drilled into the far corner after being released by Joshua Kimmich's defence-splitting pass. Moussa Diaby and then Nadiem Amiri were twice caught offside in promising attacks for Die Werkself, but when they finally managed a shot with the final kick of the first half Lars Bender's hopeful effort was straight at Manuel Neuer.
Leverkusen sent on Kerem Demirbay and Kevin Volland at half-time, before Lewandowski fired off target from Coman's cut back. Leverkusen missed an even better chance moments later, however, when Diaby broke brilliantly from halfway only to see Volland miss his low ball across with the goal at his mercy. As so often happens, Bayern immediately scored at the other end. Lewandowski got on to a punt forward from Neuer to volley the ball towards goal from 35 yards, and it squirmed through Hradecky's grasp. Sven Bender replied five minutes later with a header from a corner, and Volland had further chances as Leverkusen pushed on. Substitute Ivan Perisic then teed up Lewandowski with a dinked finish late on as Bayern – still in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League – stay on course for a treble of trophies this season. Havertz replied in injury-time from the penalty spot but it was scant consolation for his side.
Match stats
- The Bundesliga's leading goalscorer this season with 34 goals, Polish striker Lewandowski finished with six in his team’s DFB Cup run. The first player to finish as top scorer in the cup in four consecutive seasons, the 31-year-old also has 11 so far in this season's UEFA Champions League.
- Alaba got his first goal for the champions since August. It also came direct from a free-kick in the 6-1 win over Mainz on Matchday 3 of the 2019/20 Bundesliga campaign.
- Gnabry finished the domestic campaign with 15 goals – three of them came in the cup. The Germany winger also has six goals in this season's UEFA Champions League.
- In the opening 45 minutes, Bayern Munich had eight shots to Leverkusen’s one.
- Leverkusen’s only DFB Cup title came in 1993 with a 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin's reserves. They have twice been runners-up, losing both the 2002 (4-2 vs. Schalke) and 2009 (1-0 vs. Bremen) finals.
- Die Werkself have scored in each of their last 20 cup matches at an average of 2.8 goals per game. The last time they failed to score in the cup was against Bayern in the 2014/15 quarter-finals.
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Line-ups
Leverkusen: Hradecky - L. Bender (c) (Weiser 81'), Tapsoba, S. Bender, Wendell - Baumgartlinger (Demirbay 46'), Aranguiz - Diaby, Amiri (Volland 46'), Bailey (Bellarabi 77') - Havertz
Unused subs: Özcan, Tah, Dragovic, Alario, Wirtz
Out: Paulinho (knee), Sinkgraven (hip)
Coach: Peter Bosz
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Boateng (Hernandez 69'), Alaba, Davies - Kimmich, Goretzka - Gnabry (Coutinho 87'), Müller (Thiago 87'), Coman (Perisic 64') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Odriozola, Süle, Cuisance, Zirkzee
Out: Arp (knee), Martinez (calf), Tolisso (ankle)
Coach: Hansi Flick
As it happened!
BAYERN'S PERFECT END TO THE DOMESTIC SEASON
Bayern have now gone 26 competitive games unbeaten, winning the last 17.
RECORD BREAKERS!
Bayern have now won the DFB Cup a record 20 times. Werder Bremen (6) are the next most successful team in the competition's history.
FULL-TIME! BAYERN ARE DFB CUP WINNERS!
The Bundesliga champions add the DFB Cup to their collection for this season to clinch a league and Cup double in 2019/20.
90+5' - HAVERTZ SCORES
The Leverkusen youngster slots home the penalty and the full-time whistle immediately blows.
90+3' - PENALTY LEVERKUSEN!
Davies handles a cross and Leverkusen have a late penalty.
89' - LEWANDOWSKI SEALS THE CUP!
A second for Lewandowski and fourth for Bayern as Kimmich sends the Perisic in behind the Leverkusen defence. He cuts the ball back for Lewandowski to meet, and he dinks it over Hradecky from close range with a delightful finish. Outstanding from Bayern once again and they are set to win the DFB Cup for a second year in a row.
86' - MORE LEVERKUSEN CHANCES WASTED
Diaby is once again played in behind the Bayern defence on the left wing and plays the ball across the box to Bellarabi at the back post, but his pass is off target and Bellarabi is gutted. He'd have had a fantastic chance in front of goal from close range to make it a one-goal lead for Bayern.
85' - INTO LAST CHANCE SALOON
The game is still open here with neither sides interested in sitting back. Bayern also want to ice this game with another goal.
80' - INTO THE FINAL 10...
Karim Bellarabi is on for Leon Bailey now for Leverkusen to inject some fresh legs into their attack. They are on top of the possession in this second half, but Bayern are looking dangerous on the counter. Both sides are in all honesty. It would be no surprise to see more goals go in before the full-time whistle comes.
75' - THIS IS A FINAL!
Bailey is sent away by Havertz and steps his way past Pavard to shoot, but the Frenchman reacts to make a block on his shot and send it behind for a corner. But this game has become open and end-to-end in the last 10 minutes or so. Hopefully it continues for the final 15 minutes...
74' - LEWANDOWSKI... MISSES!?
Huge chance for Bayern as Perisic skips past Aranguiz on the left and crosses low to the back post. Lewandowski is there in space but has to slide to reach the ball. He gets to it, but can't only touch the ball into the side-netting from close range.
71' - VOLLAND LETS IT SLIP AGAIN
Havertz is in space to turn and race at the Bayern box. He has Volland ahead of him in space and finds him, but Volland's touch once again lets him down in a key moment and the ball runs through to Neuer. A scream of frustration from the German who surely can't continue to have this bad luck all night. For Leverkusen, they'll want it to run out sooner rather than later.
69' - HERNANDEZ ON
Boateng may have tweaked something in making that last-ditch challenge to deny Bailey from scoring. He comes off with Lucas Hernandez replacing him.
68' - LEVERKUSEN PUSHING ON NOW
Volland almost headed Leverkusen a second goal moments ago, but just missed a cross from deep by a few inches. Bosz's side are pushing on and on now, though, and dominating this game since Bender's goal. Another goal will spark this game fully back into life...
67' - LEWANDOWSKI BOOKED
The Pole is shown a caution here, while Ivan Perisic has come on for Kingsley Coman in the last few minutes.
64' - LEVERKUSEN HAVE THEIR GOAL!
It comes from a set piece as the ensuing corner from Boateng's block is headed home at the back post by Sven Bender. With 25 minutes to play, Leverkusen will be doing everything to push on for another goal to bring this game back to life.
63' - BRILLIANT BOATENG!
Leverkusen break again and Havertz plays a perfect ball into the box across goal which is heading towards Bailey, waiting to poke it home in front of goal. But Boateng slides in to deny him superbly.
60' - 50 UP FOR LEWANDOWSKI
That's the 50th goal of the season for Robert Lewandowski for Bayern in only his 43rd game of the season.
59' - AND BAYERN MAKE IT THREE!
And just like that at the other end, a nightmare for Hradecky to give Bayern a third goal. Lewandowski is in all kinds of space to latch onto Neuer's long ball and shoots at goal on the half-volley from 25 yards. It's straight at Hradecky, but he parries the ball into the ground and it bounces back up and off him before trickling towards goal. He darts back to try and save his blushes, but can only push the ball into his own net.
57' - WHAT A MISS FROM VOLLAND!
Incredible here as Volland has the golden chance to bring his side back into the game. Diaby skins Davies on the far side and races in behind the Bayern defence before playing the ball across to Volland in front of goal. The substitute has it on his left foot, but totally misses the ball from close range. He gives Diaby a shout that he wanted it in front of him, but that was a Volland miss more than a Diaby miss-pass. Huge chance goes begging for Leverkusen.
55' - LEWANDOWSKI OVER
Class from Coman to turn and speed away from the Leverkusen defence down the left. He looks up and spots Lewandowski in space on the edge of the box and finds him well, but Lewandowski's left-footed shot that follows goes high over the Leverkusen box.
49' - GNABRY GOES CLOSE
A low shot from the right corner of the Leverkusen box takes a deflection off Tapsoba and almost curls back past Hradecky, but dribbles just wide of the goal instead. A good start to this second half from Bayern.
KICK-OFF!
46' - We're back underway here in Berlin for the second half of the DFB Cup Final. Two changes for Leverkusen at the break with Kevin Volland and Kerem Demirbay on, Julian Baumgartlinger and Nadiem Amiri going off for the pair.
HALF-TIME!
We go into the break with Bayern two goals to the good in this first half with two clinical goals from Alaba and Gnabry. The Bundesliga champions have not been totally dominant, with chances going the other way for Leverkusen, but they have made the most of a couple of mistakes from Leverkusen to have a hugely important lead heading into the break. All for Leverkusen to do now in the second half...
42' - LEVERKUSEN CAUGHT AGAIN
Tidy work from Aranguiz to turn and pass to send Amiri in on goal from a tight space in midfield. The Germany international looks for support from Havertz in the centre, but he slips, so Amiri has to go alone and loses out in the end with neither a cross nor shot coming to fruition. Once again, though, the offside flag is raised against them.
38' - LEVERKUSEN'S STRUGGLES
The "home" side this evening just can't take control of the game for more than a few seconds here. Kimmich and Goretzka are dominating the midfield for Bayern, which is first and foremost stopping Leverkusen from being able to build through the centre, but is also helping to send Bayern away going forward. Kai Havertz dropping deep to get into the game.
31' - BAILEY FLUFFS HIS LINES
Diaby is played in behind by Havertz down the right and spots Bailey charging ahead of Pavard on the opposite wing. His low cross meats his fellow winger, but Bailey can't keep the ball down with his first-time shot which flies high over the Bayern crossbar. To save his blushes slightly, the offside flag is raised on this near side. But Leverkusen showing some promise.
28' - YELLOW FOR WENDELL
The Brazilian full-back is booked for a foul on Leon Goretzka. The first yellow card of the game.
24' - GNABRY MAKES IT TWO!
Bayern may already have one hand on the Cup tonight as Kimmich sends his former VfB Stuttgart academy teammate in on goal down the right. Gnabry composes himself and slots a shot with precision low across Hradecky. Clinical from Bayern to make the most of Leverkusen's defensive frailties.
22' - HRADECKY SAVES FROM MÜLLER
Great reflexes from the Finland international as a shot into the box from the right by Gnabry is flicked on towards goal by Müller on the run, and Hradecky reacted in no time at all to push the ball away.
20' - HOW WILL LEVERKUSEN RESPOND?
Leverkusen have shown potential in this first half but have yet to test Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal. Bailey has had his moments on the break, but Peter Bosz will want to see more attacking impotus from his side before too long. Is that goal the wake-up call they need?
16' - WHAT A GOAL FROM ALABA!
A free-kick is conceded right on the edge of the Leverkusen box as Tapsoba pushes into Lewandowski. Alaba steps up with only one step onto the ball before curling it over the Leverkusen wall, beyond Hradecky, and into the top corner. A stunning way to open the scoring.
14' - BAILEY ON THE BREAK
Leverkusen break well as Amiri sends Bailey in behind the Bayern defence down the left. He's caught as he reaches the box, but works space for a shot at goal from inside the penalty area. However, he drags his effort well wide across goal and it actually ends up going out for a throw-in.
10' - COMAN FORCES A SAVE
The first work for either 'keeper comes for Hradecky. He's down well to save from Coman, who had found space to the left of the Leverkusen defence who had been dragged across the pitch. Goretzka's pass set him on goal, but the Frenchman's shot aimed across goal didn't get the conviction he wanted on it.
8' - DEFENSIVE WORK FOR LEVERKUSEN
Aranguiz and the Leverkusen defence have had work to do in the last few minutes. Coman's pass inside to Goretzka sent him into their box, but a great challenge to block came in from Wendell. Aranguiz then helped clear the follow-up, but Bayern have made the brighter start here and have moved the ball forward well early on.
3' - EARLY WING PLAY
As expected, both sides are looking to use their array of pace on offer. Coman and Gnabry on either flank for Bayern, Diaby and Bailey for Leverkusen. Coman is involved early and crosses into the box, but Lewandowski heads wide with the first attempt on goal of the evening.
KICK-OFF!
We're underway in Berlin with Leverkusen in all black, Bayern in all red. Someone will leave the capital this evening as DFB Cup winners.
RESPECT FOR THE CORONAVIRUS VICTIMS
A minute's silence will be taken by both teams in Berlin to pay respect to those who have been affected by the ongoing global pandemic.
READY TO GO!
We're just minutes away from kick-off at the Olympiastadion in Berlin for the 77th DFB Cup Final which would, of course, usually be rocking right now with a packed crowd of fans. However, no fans are in the stadium following along with the protocol due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We're sure it will take nothing away from the intensity of this final, as it has not done during the Bundesliga's finale as well.
A FIRST CROWN FOR 'KING KAI'?
Kai Havertz was not even close to being born the last time Leverkusen lifted the DFB Cup. The 21-year-old was born in 1999, over six years after that last triumph, and now has the chance to not only return a trophy to his club, but also collect the first silverware of his career. In the build-up to this game, Germany legend and Leverkusen managing director Rudi Völler spoke of Havertz as "the best player in Bayer Leverkusen's history" and it would already be the crowning glory of the young playmaker's career at Leverkusen to go with his nickname of 'King Kai'.
FIRST TITLE IN 27 YEARS FOR LEVERKUSEN?
On the other side of the final, Leverkusen are looking to win their first title since 1993 - the last time they won the DFB Cup. Since then, they have suffered two defeats in the final in 2002 and 2009. Both teams clearly have huge goals that come with the dream of lifting the Pokal (trophy) later tonight.
BAYERN'S SEARCH FOR THE DOUBLE
The record Bundesliga and DFB Cup champions are looking to complete a double for the second successive season, with the goal of a second-ever treble in the club's history still a realistic possibility.
ONE WIN EACH THIS SEASON
Of course, these two sides have met twice already in the 2019/20 Bundesliga season and each side came out on the winning side on one occasion, both away from home. Leverkusen took all three points from the Allianz Arena with Leon Bailey scoring both goals in a 2-1 win before Bayern hit four at the BayArena just a few weeks ago, winning 4-2 in Leverkusen on their way to clinching the Bundesliga title.
LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS
The big news from Peter Bosz's team selection is that, despite returning from injury to start and score for Leverkusen against Mainz last week, Kevin Volland is on the bench this evening and Kai Havertz leads the Leverkusen attack. He's supported by Nadiem Amiri in the No.10 role, with Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey on either wing. Julian Baumgartlinger is preferred to Kerem Demirbay in midfield alongside Charles Aranguiz, while Wendell starts ahead of the injured Daley Sinkgraven at left-back.
BAYERN TEAM NEWS
The starting line-up is as expected for Hansi Flick and Bayern with Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry supporting Robert Lewandowski. Niklas Süle returns to a matchday squad for the first time since his injury in October and is on the bench this evening, alongside Thiago, who is fit enough to join the reinforcements waiting in the wings.
WELCOME!
It's DFB Cup Final day in Germany and Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich will be battling out for the crown in Berlin. The line-ups are in as you can see below.
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