Bayern Munchen overcome Hoffenheim and advance to quarters

FC Bayern beat TSG Hoffenheim 4-3 on Wednesday night, advancing to the DFB Cup quarter-finals. The visitors took the lead when Jérôme Boateng put through his own goal, another own goal by Benjamin Hübner levelling the scores at the other end. Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski scored for Bayern in the first half, the Poland captain netting Bayern’s fourth with ten minutes to go. Munas Dabbur bagged a brace, with Bayern on tenterhooks in injury time, but the German record champions ultimately saw it through.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Boateng, David Alaba and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Corentin Tolisso anchored a midfield featuring Müller, Philippe Coutinho and Serge Gnabry, with Lewandowski up front. Michaël Cuisance, Joshua Zirkzee and new signing Álvaro Odriozola took over from Müller, Lewandowski and Boateng in the closing stages.

Reds turn the tide
The 71,500 crowd at the Allianz Arena saw Bayern go straight onto the front foot. Coutinho fired wide before Müller invited Lewandowski to tap in, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside. Bayern were in for a shock when Boateng unluckily deflected a Ihlas Bebou shot into his own net. Another own goal levelled the scores, Benjamin Hübner putting a Davies cross through his own goal when he was put under pressure by Müller.

Müller handed Bayern the lead when he latched onto Alaba’s brilliant through-ball and slotted home. The hosts were utterly dominant now, Hoffenheim netminder Philipp Pentke denying Lewandowski and Gnabry, but Lewandowski extended the lead when he rose high to head home a loose ball after Pentke came out of his goal. A Pavard square evaded Lewandowski, Coutinho seeing an effort saved, but when match official Sascha Stegemann blew for half-time, Bayern had a relatively comfortable lead despite the early setback.

Frantic closing stages
Bayern had a string of chances after the interval, Gnabry slotting wide before Pentke saved a Lewandowski header, Müller firing over the bar. Hoffenheim got a grip now and enjoyed a spell in command, a deflected Bebou shot going over the bar before Neuer made a strong save to deny Steven Zuber. The away side had the ball in the back of the net through Hübner, but the goal was ruled out for handball.

Bayern were looking to close out the meeting but lacked inspiration up front until Lewandowski was unmarked following a corner, his header beating Pentke. But it was not over yet, Dabbur beating Neuer from close range. Dabbur soon headed wide but bagged a brace when Pavard hit his own post, the Hoffenheim forward tapping in the rebound. Bayern were on tenterhooks in injury time, but more goals refused to come, and the record cup winners advanced to the last eight for 13th time in a row.