Harry Kane opened the scoring with a typically composed penalty to set Bayern Munich on their way to victory.
Harry Kane opened the scoring with a typically composed penalty to set Bayern Munich on their way to victory. - © IMAGO/Revierfoto
Harry Kane opened the scoring with a typically composed penalty to set Bayern Munich on their way to victory. - © IMAGO/Revierfoto
bundesliga

Bayern Munich overcome RB Leipzig to reach DFB Cup semi-finals

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Harry Kane's penalty and Luis Díaz's clinical finish sent record champions Bayern Munich through to the semi-finals of the DFB Cup for the first time since 2020, as RB Leipzig were unable to match the Bundesliga Champions for the full 90 minutes.

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Bayern 2-0 Leipzig

Goals: 1-0 Kane pen. 64’, 2-0 Díaz 67’ (assist: Olise)

Bayern's pursuit of a first DFB Cup title since 2019/20 cleared a significant hurdle as Vincent Kompany's men defeated Leipzig 2-0 to reach the semi-finals. The record 20-time cup winners had failed to progress past the quarter-finals in the past five seasons, with Kompany selecting a full-strength side including Manuel Neuer in goal. Leipzig coach Ole Werner welcomed back Castello Lukeba from injury, while Maarten Vandevoordt started as the cup goalkeeper.

In their two previous encounters this season, Bayern had thrashed Leipzig 6-0 and 5-1, but optimism remained that Leipzig could spring a surprise.

The first half in particular was very competitive as both sides threw players forward in search of the opener. - Alex Grimm

Leipzig denied early goal

The visitors made a flying start and thought they had taken the lead in the fourth minute when Christoph Baumgartner finished past Neuer after Yan Diomande had carved through the Bayern defence. However, VAR intervened to rule Baumgartner offside.

Bayern gradually gained control, with Harry Kane forcing a superb save from Vandevoordt in the 12th minute after a switch by Luis Díaz. Kane then had two more good chances in quick succession, but he couldn't find the target on either occasion. 

At the other end, David Raum tested Neuer with a powerful strike in the 37th minute.

Just before the break, Vandevoordt was forced into action, first from Aleksandar Pavlović's long-range effort and then tipping Kane's header away from the resulting corner.

Baumgartner and Leipzig were denied an early lead when they had a goal chalked off in the fourth minute. - IMAGO/Bernd Feil/M.i.S.

Kane and Díaz send Bayern through

Bayern began to assert their authority after the break, with Vandevoort being forced into a good stop by Serge Gnabry after 58 minutes. 

Leipzig then came close to putting the ball in the net in the 62nd minute when Rômulo headed Raum's free-kick against the crossbar, although the striker appeared to be offside. Bayern then broke through Josip Stanišić, with the defender being brought down by Vandevoordt after the goalkeeper slipped while rushing out, and Kane made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending Vandevoordt the wrong way.

The hosts doubled their lead just three minutes later through Díaz, who coolly slotted past the onrushing Leipzig goalkeeper after being played through by Michael Olise. The quick double-strike knocked the fight out of Leipzig, with Bayern comfortably seeing out the remaining minutes.

Díaz's goal rather killed Leipzig's chances of finding a way back into the game as the final stages were played out with less tempo. - IMAGO/Picture Point / Roger Petzsche

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Bayern 2.47 - Leipzig 0.91
Fastest player: Yan Diomande (Leipzig), 35.07 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-0 by Luis Díaz (Bayern), 27 percent
Most pressed player: Michael Olise (Bayern), 31 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Michael Olise (Bayern), +4.22