Berlin: Bayern Munich came out on top in the final of the German Cup here with a 3-0 win over RB Leipzig, with two goals by Robert Lewandowski and one by Kingsley Coman, which means the Bavarian club close the season with a league and cup double after having already won the Bundesliga championship.
Saturday’s final for Bayern was more difficult than the scoreboard indicates. Only at the end of the second half did the Bavarian club pull away and leave its opponent in the dust.
But for a long time, the match looked like an even duel in which neither squad kept possession of the ball for long.
Bayern managed to make the first threat, with a shot by Serge Gnabry at the third minute that was deflected, but the first clear chance was for Leipzig at the 11th minute when Yussuf Poulsen made a promising header that Manuel Neuer deflected against the crossbar.
The match continued to be tense, balanced and seemed more controlled by Leipzig than by Bayern.
But it all turned around at the 29th minute in one of the first effective plays that Niko Kovac’s team managed to put together – Bayern took a 1-0 lead thanks to Robert Lewandowski.
Thiago started it off with a pass from midfield to Javi Martinez, who got the ball to Kingsley Coman who got it to David Alaba, who then centered it from the goal line into the penalty area where Lewandowski headed it into the net for the score.
After the goal, Bayern seemed to take charge of the game and in the last half had several good chances. Coman in the 42nd minute and Hummels in the 45th minute came close to scoring a second goal.
After halftime, Leipzig also made some dangerous charges downfield.
However, Bayern took control once more, got together several threats and in the 78th minute Coman made it 2-0 with a left-footed shot after outstanding control in the box left keeper Gulacsi alone in front of the net.
The game was winding down when Lewandowski made a counterattack that began with a long pass from Joshua Kimmich. The Pole took the pass from Kimmich, got around a defender and ran freely toward the goal where he scored to make if 3-0 in the 85th minute, and so Bayern’s double was secured.
IANS
