Robert Lewandowski netted a second-half winner as holder Bayern Munich remained on course for a domestic double after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final for the third straight year.
Despite a superb first half in which it took the lead through Ivan Perisic, Bayern was made to sweat after completely losing rhythm after the break and allowing its opponents to come back into the match with a goal from Danny Da Costa.
“In the first half we should have scored more goals. In the second half we did not do it well,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.
“But it was a Cup game and at the end it was a deserved qualification. It could have been an easier second half if we had done it better in the first.”
Bayern will now play Bayer Leverkusen, which cruised past fourth tier side Saarbruecken 3-0 on Tuesday, in the final in Berlin on July 4.
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Having all but secured the Bundesliga title and chasing a 20th German Cup crown, the Bavarians were unstoppable in the first half as an unmarked Perisic headed in a Thomas Mueller cross for the lead in the 14th minute.
They should have scored several more with Perisic, Kingsley Coman and Lewandowski repeatedly going close as the visitors were completely outclassed in the first half.
Frankfurt, who beat Bayern in the 2018 final, came out transformed after the break and snatched an equaliser through substitute Da Costa in the 69th.
Yet Lewandowski scored the winner five minutes later with Bayern's only real chance in the second half after confusion in the Frankfurt box and following a VAR review.
Frankfurt players show support
Eintracht Frankfurt changed its team shirt to display “#blacklivesmatter” on the front for its German Cup semifinal at Bayern Munich on Wednesday to take a stand against racism, the club said.
Athletes across the world have joined in support of protests triggered by the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in U.S. police custody last month.
“Tonight: Make your mark. Black heart. Every day: Listen. Understand. Question. Stand. Speak up. Fight for tolerance and diversity. Overcome racism,” Frankfurt said.
The white shirt displayed the line in black letters, larger than the name of the team's sponsor.
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Several Bundesliga clubs and players have shown their support for the protests by going down on one knee ahead of league games in recent weeks.
Major sports have also moved to allow protests following Floyds death on May 25, including world soccers ruling body FIFA and the American National Football League (NFL).
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