Reuters
Berlin, May 22: Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on penalties to win the German Cup for the 18th time here Saturday, handing coach Pep Guardiola another domestic double in his final game in charge.
Bayern, who also won the Bundesliga for a record fourth straight time, kept their cool in the shootout after a goalless 120 minutes with Douglas Costa beating keeper Roman Buerki with Bayern’s last penalty after two Dortmund players had missed.
It was Bayern’s second cup win after they lifted the trophy in 2015 when they also beat Dortmund. Guardiola, who has won three league titles and two German Cups in his three seasons in charge, hugged and kissed his players, with tears streaming down his face after his final match in charge before joining Manchester City next season.
The win in front of a roaring 74,000 crowd at the Olympic stadium also softened the disappointment of Bayern’s third consecutive Champions League semifinal exit under Guardiola earlier this month when they went out to Atletico Madrid.
It was also a farewell for Dortmund captain Mats Hummels, who will join Bayern next season, having now lost his third successive German Cup final. The encounter between Germany’s top two sides lived up to the hype in terms of the intensity in the first half but chances were few and far between.
A drilled header that sailed narrowly wide from Mueller was Bayern’s best opportunity while Dortmund had to wait 42 minutes for their first shot on target.
Bayern upped the tempo after the break, using the speed of Franck Ribery and Costa on the wings to try to pierce the Dortmund defence. Thiago Alcantara and Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski twice went close.
It was Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who missed the biggest chance, however, when he fired over the bar in the 85th minute with only keeper Manuel Neuer to beat.
After players from both sides ran out of steam and struggled with cramp in extra time, the Bavarians stayed focused in the shootout. Sven Bender and Sokratis Papastathopoulos failed to score for Dortmund and Bayern youngster Joshua Kimmich had his penalty saved, but Brazilian Costa sealed the win with the final kick.
