Bayer 04 Leverkusen won the DFB Cup after a 1-0 victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern. In Berlin, Xabi Alonso’s team won a close match against the second division team and secured the double of German championship and cup victory.
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the match in the 16th minute. Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou also received a second yellow card in the 44th minute. Kaiserslautern were unable to equalize in the second half despite having the advantage in numbers.
Beer for one, break for the other
Leverkusen’s successful coach, Xabi Alonso, focused on his players’ performance after the cup win. “I’m proud and I’m happy for the players,” said Alonso after the final whistle. “Tonight I’m drinking German beer.” German national player Robert Andrich was also happy about “a very, very cool feeling.” “Holding up the cup is just very nice,” he said. Bayer icon Rudi Völler was also happy in the stands.
On the other hand, Kaiserslautern’s coach Friedhelm Funkel confirmed after the game that it was his last as coach of the club. However, he was “keen to maybe continue again at some point”. He only took over the position at Kaiserslautern in February and saved the team from relegation from the second division. The past three months had “taken a lot of energy”, said Funkel. First of all, he wanted to recharge his batteries.
An early goal and lots of pyrotechnics
Even before the final of the 81st DFB Cup, the many fans of both teams who had travelled with them created a great atmosphere. Before kick-off, the Kaiserslautern team impressed with a choreography, with a giant Red Devil stretching almost to the roof of the stadium. Pyrotechnics were also used repeatedly in the stands before and during the game.
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After the kick-off, outsider Kaiserslautern also fired the first dangerous shot on goal. Only then did Bayer manage to develop their usual fluid passing game. After just under a quarter of an hour, Florian Wirtz had the first chance to take the lead. Shortly afterwards, Granit Xhaka scored a fantastic goal with a powerful long-range shot from around 25 meters to make it 1-0.
Leverkusen then put more and more pressure on their opponents, and Lautern had to do a lot of chasing. Shortly before the end of the first half, there was another upset: after a hard foul by Odilon Kossounou on Boris Tomiak, a small group of players formed, and Kossounou, who had already been cautioned, received a yellow-red card from referee Bastian Dankert.
Shortly after the restart, the game had to be stopped for a few minutes because flares were flying and firecrackers were being set off from the Kaiserslautern block. Bayer fans also repeatedly set off pyrotechnics. When the smoke had cleared, Leverkusen pushed for the second goal, but showed little of their usual confident play.
Kaiserslautern did not let up and ventured forward more and more often – but ultimately without reward. The second division team did not get decisively close to the goal and seemed exhausted towards the end.
DFB Cup
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Second cup win for Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen is the sixth club to win the double of championship and DFB Cup. For the club, it is the second cup win after 1993 and the end of the most successful season in the club’s entire history. Three days ago, Bayer suffered its only defeat in a total of 53 competitive matches this season, with a disappointing 0:3 loss in the Europa League final against Atalanta Bergamo.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen won the DFB Cup after a 1-0 victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern. In Berlin, Xabi Alonso’s team won a close match against the second division team and secured the double of German championship and cup victory.
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal of the match in the 16th minute. Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou also received a second yellow card in the 44th minute. Kaiserslautern were unable to equalize in the second half despite having the advantage in numbers.
Leverkusen’s successful coach, Xabi Alonso, focused on his players’ performance after the cup win. “I’m proud and I’m happy for the players,” said Alonso after the final whistle. “Tonight I’m drinking German beer.” German national player Robert Andrich was also happy about “a very, very cool feeling.” “Holding up the cup is just very nice,” he said. Bayer icon Rudi Völler was also happy in the stands.
