Daily Times

LEVERKUSEN: Bayern Munich reached the German Cup final by thrashing Bayer Leverkusen 6-2 away thanks to a Thomas Mueller hat-trick after an early Robert Lewandowski double on Tuesday to stay on track for a treble of titles this season. Bundesliga champions Bayern, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals next week, enjoyed a sensational start and completely overran their opponents, scoring twice through Lewandowski in the opening nine minutes. The Poland forward flicked in a powerful Javi Martinez shot to put the visitors ahead in the third minute and then added another goal with a fine volley from a Franck Ribery cross.

Leverkusen pulled a goal back in the 16th with a Lars Bender header and came agonisingly close to levelling minutes after the restart as they battled to get back into the match. Bayern keeper Sven Ulreich repeatedly came to the rescue to keep the visitors ahead and the home side’s hopes of a comeback in the semi-final were killed off when Thiago Alcantara picked out Mueller to score Bayern’s third. The Spain international then slotted in the fifth after Mueller had scored again from close range before he grabbed his hat-trick in the 78th minute. “We got off to a good start and an early lead but then Ulreich had to rescue us a couple of times,” Mueller told reporters. “Then we managed to execute our attacks really well. We were very effective and we worked extremely well together.”

The Germany forward completed his treble after Leverkusen substitute Leon Bailey had pulled another goal back for the hosts with a whipped free kick. Bayern, who have won the German Cup a record 18 times and also clinched the treble in 2013, will face the winners of Wednesday’s semi-final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke 04 in the final in Berlin on May 19. “It was a great advert for German football for attacking football,” Mueller said. “For us, obviously it was great result, but we want more. We know what is possible but we still need to play those games to achieve it.”

Published in Daily Times, April 19^th 2018.