Bayer Leverkusen stunned hosts Bayern Munich with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday, knocking the Bundesliga leaders out of the DFB-Pokal and advancing to the quarterfinals. Nathan Tella’s second-half header sealed the win for the title holders, marking Bayern’s first domestic defeat of the season.
The match took a dramatic turn early on when Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer received a straight red card in the 17th minute for a body check on Jeremie Frimpong outside the penalty area. It was the first dismissal in the 38-year-old’s illustrious career, leaving Bayern to battle with ten men for over 70 minutes.
Despite being a man down, Bayern dominated much of the first half, creating several opportunities through Kingsley Coman, Konrad Laimer, and Leon Goretzka. However, Leverkusen’s defense held firm, and the teams went into halftime with the scoreline still goalless.
Leverkusen capitalized in the 69th minute when substitute Nathan Tella, who had entered the match just eight minutes earlier, headed in a superb cross from Alex Grimaldo. The goal came against the run of play and proved to be the decisive moment of the match.
“It was not our best game with the ball or even with an extra man, but we applied our plan,” said Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah. “It was not immediately easy to adapt to having an extra man. We were too hectic and wanted to score quickly. We did not do it perfectly today, but we were effective, and then Nathan headed in the winner.”
Reflecting on his red card, Neuer said, “I tried to get to the ball but didn’t get there in time. I was hoping he would be in an offside position. I can’t change it now. It was a mistake, and I have to accept it.”
Both teams were missing their leading strikers, with Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Bayern’s Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane sidelined due to injuries. Kane is expected to be out for several weeks after sustaining an injury in Bayern’s draw against Borussia Dortmund last week.
The defeat means Bayern Munich has failed to advance past the quarterfinals of the German Cup since their last title win in 2020. For Leverkusen under coach Xabi Alonso, the victory extends an impressive run, with Alonso having won all nine of his German Cup matches as a coach. Leverkusen has now gone five matches against Bayern without defeat, signaling a potential shift in German football’s balance of power.
Bayern will need to regroup quickly as they focus on maintaining their lead in the Bundesliga, while Leverkusen continues their pursuit of defending their German Cup title.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
