Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Bayern reach German Cup final to keep double in sight

Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their first goal. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich beat Werder Bremen 3-2 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski on Wednesday to advance to the German Cup final for the second straight year and keep the domestic league and cup double firmly in their sights.

The Bavarians, who also beat Werder in the league last week, will now face RB Leipzig in the final on May 25. Bayern had lost last year's final to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Werder scored twice in two minutes to come back from two goals down to level at 2-2 before Lewandowski hit an 80th minute penalty to secure victory for Bayern, who are chasing a record-extending 19th cup victory.

Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Werder Bremen's Kevin Mohwald in action with Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

"We knew it would be tough. We had the penalty but we also had the chances. We deserved to go through," said Bayern's Niko Kovac, who can become the first coach to win the German Cup in consecutive years with different teams.

"We were caught napping in those two minutes and suddenly Bremen are level," said Kovac, who won the Cup with Frankfurt last year. "The penalty may have been a bit lucky but overall we fully deserved the win."

Bayern opened their account with the Bundesliga's leading scorer --Lewandowski -- who stabbed in from close range after a looping header from Thomas Mueller had bounced off the post in the 36th minute.

Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller scores their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

The hosts had their share of chances but it was Bayern who scored again with Mueller in the 63rd.

Werder, however, fought back through Yuya Osako in the 74th minute and Milot Rashica in the 75th.

Lewandowski, however, silenced the home crowd with his spot kick, which was awarded for a foul on Kingsley Coman by Theodor Gebre Selassie that left the Bremen players furious with the decision.

Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Werder Bremen's Yuya Osako celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

The Poland forward should have had a hat-trick but he hit the post from a metre out in stoppage time.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby Davis)

Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski scores their third goal from a penalty REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Soccer Football - DFB Cup - Semi Final - Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich - Weser-Stadion, Bremen, Germany - April 24, 2019 Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac celebrates REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.