Bremen bow out, Bayern march into quarters
Werder Bremen were the biggest casualties of the German Cup’s third round after their 3-1 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld on Wednesday as holders Bayern Munich eased into the quarter-finals.
Bielefeld, who are top of the third division, go into the pot for Sunday’s quarter-final draw after shocking ten-man Bremen as midfielder Manuel Junglas became Arminia’s hero with two goals.
Bremen were reduced to ten men when their captain Clemens Fritz was sent off for a second yellow card on 89 minutes just a quarter of an hour after scoring their consolation goal.
“Bielefeld deserved the win, our body language wasn’t okay, which really annoyed me,” said Bremen’s glum coach Viktor Skripnik, whose side are mid-table in the Bundesliga.
“I used a tough tone at half-time, but as everyone could see, it didn’t help.”
Holders Bayern had no such problems as their full strength side beat second- division Eintracht Braunschweig in Munich, but France winger was lucky not to receive an early red card.
Left-winger Ribery kicked out at Braunschweig right-back Benjamin Kessel after being fouled, but the referee missed the France international’s reaction and booked Kessel instead with six minutes gone.
A superb curling free-kick from Austria defender David Alaba just before the break and a second-half goal from Germany’s World Cup winner Mario Goetze sealed Bayern’s win, their 14th cup win in succession since losing the 2012 final 5-2 to Dortmund.
“I like smacking the ball over the wall, so I am really pleased it worked out so well tonight,” Alaba told Sky Sports.
“Braunschweig defended very well for the whole of the first half.”
Borussia Moenchengladbach booked their last eight berth with a 2-0 win at fourth-division Kickers Offenbach after Germany striker Max Kruse netted a second-half penalty following a handball.
Gladbach’s winger Patrick Herrmann added a second to put the result beyond doubt.
VfL Wolfsburg, who are second in the Bundesliga enjoyed a 2-0 win at RB Leipzig thanks to goals by midfielder Daniel Caligiuri and defender Tim Klose.
On Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund eased to a 2-0 victory at third-division Dynamo Dresden thank to Ciro Immobile’s second-half goals.
The Italy striker pounced on a mistake by Dresden captain Michael Hefele to give Dortmund a 50th-minute lead and lit up a dull third-round tie to put the 2012 cup winners into the last eight.
Immobile then added Dortmund’s second when he fired home a superb cross from Poland winger Jakub Blaszczykowski on 90 minutes.
With the win coming on the back of four straight Bundesliga wins, Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp was relieved to hear Germany winger Marco Reus had only bruised his knee having been helped off in the first-half.
Fellow Champions League side Bayer Leverkusen needed extra-time at home to claim a 2-0 win over second-division Kaiserslautern.
After a goalless first 90 minutes, Bayer pulled ahead when Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu curled home a free-kick in the 102nd minute before Germany striker Stefan Kiessling added their second in the 114th minute.
Bundesliga side Hoffenheim enjoyed a 2-0 win at second-division VfR Aalen from Baden-Wuerttemberg.
In the round’s only all-Bundesliga tie, Freiburg ran out 2-1 winners at home to Cologne as Nigeria striker Anthony Ujah’s own goal gave the hosts an early lead before Czech midfielder Vladimir Darida added a second on 19 minutes.