Reds rue missed chances in Dortmund defeat

FC Bayern lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday evening's DFB Cup semi-final tie, missing their chance to wrap up the domestic knockout title. Marco Reus handed Dortmund the lead following a misplaced Javi Martínez pass after the quarter-hour, but Martínez and Mats Hummels turned the tide before half-time. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled the scores again midway through the second half, and the day turned sour for the Bavarians when Ousmane Dembelé found the net with 15 minutes to go.

The record cup winners started with Sven Ulreich between the sticks and a back four comprising skipper Philipp Lahm, Martínez, Hummels and David Alaba. Xabi Alonso and Arturo Vidal featured in a twin holding role, with midfield maestro Thiago, wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry and lone striker Robert Lewandowski in the attacking unit.

Carlo Ancelotti made three changes to the side that entertained Mainz on Saturday. Lahm, Alaba and Alonso took over from Rafinha, Juan Bernat and Thomas Müller. Jérôme Boateng replaced Hummels on the hour before Müller and Douglas Costa came on for Alonso and Ribéry in the closing stages.

Javi the centre of attention

The 75,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena saw both sides attack from the off. Three minutes had been played when the away side had their first gilt-edged chance, but Aubameyang fired wide from just five yards. The contest remained goalless for another fifteen minutes, before a loose Martínez pass was intercepted by Dembelé. The Dortmund winger saw his effort deflected by Ulreich, the ball hitting the post and eluding Lahm who tried to scramble it away, with Reus on hand to mop up.

By that time Bayern had a decent shout for a penalty waved aside following a Weigl handball in Dortmund's box before Vidal's 20-yarder skidded wide, but the lead was Borussia's. The German record champions upped the ante, and their pressure paid off when the unmarked Martínez atoned for his poor pass, heading home the equaliser.

The Spaniard almost handed Bayern the lead, but saw another header crash off the post and away to safety. Ancelotti's troops went a goal up shortly before the interval when Ribéry got hold of Alonso's pinpoint 40-yarder, evading three Dortmund defenders and inviting Mats Hummels to net a precise side-footer from the edge of the box.

Cup blues after the restart

The Bavarians were content to contain their opponents and occasionally break after the restart, Robben drawing a fine save from visiting netminder Roman Bürki. The Dortmund keeper imitated Martínez after the hour mark, Thiago cutting out his miscued pass, but Sven Bender deflected Robben's effort onto the post. Borussia levelled the scores when a Dembelé cross found Aubameyang, who headed in at the back stick.

Five minutes later Dembelé scored himself, his majestic 20-yarder hitting the far corner of the net via the crossbar. The Bavarians were looking to turn the tide once more, but Robben saw one effort go wide and another saved by Bürki, and match official Manuel Gräfe blew for full-time shortly after a Julian Weigl effort flew over the bar.

The Bavarians return to action on Saturday, when they travel to face Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga before entertaining crisis club Darmstadt.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen

FC Bayern - Borussia Dortmund 2-3 (H-T: 2-1)