0-1: Leverkusen send Bayern out of the Pokal!

Xabi Alonso He has the size made for Bayern Munich. They have not lost to the Bavarian giants in their four Bundesliga matches (two wins and two draws) and now Bayer Leverkusen, who last season achieved the domestic double, take a giant step towards defending the DFB Pokal title by winning 0-1 at the Allianz Arena in the star round of 16 tie.

Too many Vincent Kompany, due to the absence of Harry Kane, as Xabi Alonsowithout him also being injured Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick Starting from the bench, they faced the game without a pure center forward. Jamal Musiala this function is replaced by Michael Oliseh in Bayern and Florian Wirtz He is the most advanced player at Leverkusen.

After the first shot of Kingsley Coman which he cut without a problem Matej Kovar, Wirtz He got Leverkusen’s first chance, after the local defense was double-beaten, but his low shot hit the post.

It was then that tension rose on the pitch as a result of the lack of Edmond Tapsoba, who also let go of the elbow, about Olise. Dayot Upamecano He fouled the visiting centre-back, there was a push between the two and an attempt at a fool. The referee resolved this by showing yellow to Tapsoba and Upamecano.

Neuer’s red

It was the 12th minute and just five minutes later Bayern suffered a heavy blow as they were sent off. Manuel Neuer for the first time in his career. At 38 years old, the legendary goalkeeper and captain of the Munich team is violently overwhelmed Jeremie Frimpong forced to leave his place in desperation to stop him after a long delivery of Jonathan Tah and break offside Konrad Laimer for being a bit late.

In the absence of Sven Ulreich, it is the israeli Daniel Peretz who stands under the sticks being Leroy Sane the field player that Kompany sacrificed. Bayern showed the red, Leverkusen, until then retreated, began to play in the rival field and managed to lead the scoreboard when Frimpong, just after receiving from Wirtz, He saw how Peretz took his shot at the near post with his leg.

Bayern pushed ahead before the break

But Bayern will never be considered a loser. So, in the last ten minutes of an intense first half with substitutes, they harassed Leverkusen and scored two headers from Leon Goretzka and Kim Min-jae in the set piece.

at break Xabi Alonso brought Schick in reference to the attack, although he was only on the field for 20 minutes when he retired due to injury. Anyway Wirtz, who showed his great quality and posed a danger throughout the game, he took advantage of the Czech’s presence to finish off a pass from the baseline from Frimpong, another standout, that narrowly missed.

It was the only chance for a Leverkusen team that, despite playing with superiority, seemed stuck until, 20 minutes from time, Alejandro Grimaldo pulled a wonderful center out of his hat from the left to the far post and there recent entrant Nathan Tella, replaced Schick, he scored with a diving header.

Leverkusen has not suffered to maintain its advantage since Bayern, tired of trying to play with ten from quarter of an hour, Musiala was not found and their attempts to force extra time are more about the heart than the head. For another season, the Bavarians suffered a defeat in the DFB Pokal, a competition they have not won since 2020.-

BAYERN MUNICH

01

BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Bayern Munich: Neuer; Laimer (Boey, 73), Upamecano, Minjae Kim (Tel, 84), Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka (Pavlovic, 73); Sané (Peretz, 19), Coman (Gnabry, 73); Olise, Musiala

Bayer Leverkusen: Kovar; Mukiele (Arthur, 61), Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie; Andrich (Schick, 46) (Tella, 61); Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo; Wirtz.

Purpose: 0-1, min 19: Tella.

Referee: Hurt Osmers. He rebuked Upamecano, Tapsoba, Wirtz, Goretzka and Kovar. Neuer is sent off with a straight red card (m.17).

Incidents: round of 16 match of the German Cup played at the Allianz Arena in Munich in front of 75,000 spectators.

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