DFB Pokal: Bayern beats Leverkusen 4-2 to seal domestic double
Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich sealed its 20th DFB Pokal crown with a 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final on Saturday.
Published : Jul 05, 2020 02:54 IST
Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich kept its hopes of a treble alive after a dominant 4-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen to lift the German Cup for a record-extending 20th time at the Olympiastadion on Saturday.
Bayern sealed its 13th domestic double as Hansi Flick, who took over as interim boss following Niko Kovac's sacking in November, repaid the Bavarian club's faith in him by winning his first final as permanent manager.
Flick also became the first German to win the country's league and cup double as a player and manager.
David Alaba put Bayern ahead in the 16th minute when he curled a free kick over the Leverkusen wall. Bayern doubled the lead when Joshua Kimmich released Serge Gnabry down the right channel and the winger's uncontested shot nestled into the bottom corner.
Lewandowski then pounced on Manuel Neuer's long ball and let fly a thunderous strike at Lukas Hradecky and the Finnish goalkeeper fumbled, allowing the ball to creep over the line.
Leverkusen opened its account when Sven Bender headed home at the far post from a corner kick but it was too little, too late as Lewandowski grabbed a second with a chip over the keeper in the 89th minute from Ivan Perisic's cutback.
There was late drama when VAR spotted a handball inside the box in stoppage time to award Leverkusen a penalty. Kai Havertz's consolation strike into the top corner proved to be the final kick of the game as Bayern defended its title.
Bayern has now won 17 games in a row in all competitions and is also unbeaten in its last 26 games stretching back to December. It leads Chelsea 3-0 on aggregate in the Champions League last-16, with the second leg to be played next month.
Leverkusen, which missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing fifth in the Bundesliga, can still qualify for Europe's elite competition if it wins the Europa League where it leads Rangers 3-1 on aggregate in the last-16.