Clinical Frankfurt thwart Bayern's double dream

Unlucky FC Bayern slipped to a 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday night, seeing their double dream heartbrakingly dashed in the DFB Cup final. Ante Rebic put Eintracht in front, Robert Lewandowski levelling the scores after the break. Rebic restored Frankfurt's lead with ten minutes to go. Bayern, who saw two efforts denied by the woodwork, went looking for another equaliser, but with Bayern keeper Sven Ulreich in Eintracht's box, Mijat Gacinovic sealed the victory for the men from Hesse in injury time.

The Bavarians started with Ulreich between the sticks and Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Mats Hummels and David Alaba in a back four. Javi Martínez filled the holding role behind Thomas Müller, Thiago, James and Franck Ribéry, with Lewandowski as lone striker.

Jupp Heynckes made two changes to the XI that faced Stuttgart last weekend. David Alaba and Javi Martínez replaced Rafinha and Corentin Tolisso, who came on for Thiago after the hour mark. Kingsley Coman took over from Müller midway through the second half, Wagner replacing Ribéry in the closing stages.

Early shock

The 74,000 capacity crowd at Berlin's Olympic Stadium saw both sides looking to attack in an entertaining match that lived up to its billing. A Lewandowski free-kick from 20 yards hit the crossbar, but Frankfurt's early pressing paid off when they gained possession in midfield and staged a lightning-quick attack, Kevin-Prince Boateng's pinpoint pass inviting Ante Rebic to blast past Ulreich.

Bayern went looking for an equaliser, a Müller effort sailing just wide of the far post before Kimmich miscued a header. Lewandowski fired wide, Müller testing netminder Lukas Hradecky. Lewandowski miscued another free-kick before Jonathan de Guzman failed to connect to a Rebic pass at the other end. The match now entered a scrappy phase with a string of niggly fouls, and Hradecky's save from a Martínez header meant Bayern were trailing at half-time.

Eintracht's counters prove decisive

Bayern went straight back onto the front foot after the interval, Süle blasting wide, but Bayern levelled the scores when the centre-back charged down the right, passing to Kimmich, whose excellent centre found Lewandowski, the Poland captain slotting home from 12 yards. Bayern almost took the lead but a Kimmich cross evaded friend, foe and the goal alike.

James and Alaba saw their efforts blocked before the men from Hesse enjoyed a spell in command, Boateng firing wide, Ulreich denying an Omar Mascarell effort. Lewandowski skied from 20 yards and soon fired inches wide, Hummels seeing a header crash off the bar, but Rebic restored Frankfurt's lead, again on the break. Bayern desparately fought for an equaliser in the closing stages, James seeing an effort blocked before Kimmich glanced a header wide. With Ulreich moving to his opponents' box before a corner, Niko Kovac' troops scored their third on the break, Gacinovic netting deep into injury time.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen