News (engl.)

Record cup winners FC Bayern have reached the DFB-Pokal final for the 25th time. The recently-crowned Bundesliga champions beat top-flight rivals Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the first semi-final and will now contest their first final since 2020 as they go in search of a 21st Pokal triumph. Harry Kane put Bayern in front in the 21st minute, before Luis Diaz sealed the win in stoppage time (90’+3).

Bayern took control from the first whistle and created the first opening early on through a Dayot Upamecano header (5’). Luis Diaz then forced Bayer goalkeeper Mark Flekken into his first save of the evening (14’). At the third attempt, though, Bayern made the breakthrough. After a throw-in, they moved the ball quickly, Jamal Musiala picked out Kane unmarked near the penalty spot, and the striker fired emphatically into the roof of the net.

Leverkusen initially had no answer to Bayern’s aggressive pressing and were largely pinned back in their own half. Michael Olise’s effort from distance (27’) was too central to trouble Flekken, while Kane came within inches of his second in the 40th minute. Bayer, meanwhile, failed to register a single shot in the first half.

Tella goes closest to an equaliser

The second half began with another Bayern chance straight away. Musiala took the ball past Flekken inside the box, but Robert Andrich cleared off the line (49’). Leverkusen then began to show more going forward – and immediately looked dangerous. Nathan Tella forced Manuel Neuer into a superb save with Bayer’s very first attempt on goal (52’).

The game opened up after that. Flekken had to be at his very best again to keep out Josip Stanisic’s effort (56’), and the Bayer keeper also denied Kane when the England captain looked to curl home another (63’). Leverkusen kept pushing for a way back into the tie, but Patrik Schick’s header in the 70th minute drifted comfortably wide.

Leverkusen threw everything at avoiding a cup exit and, in the closing stages, repeatedly forced Bayern back towards their own penalty area. Clear-cut chances, however, never really came, and Diaz eventually finished off a counter-attack to confirm Bayern’s place in the final.