Bayern down Union to advance to quarters

FC Bayern beat Union Berlin 3-2 on Wednesday night to progress to the DFB Cup quarter-finals. Ilyas Ansah put through his own goal before Harry Kane doubled Bayern’s lead. Leopold Querfeld pulled one back from the penalty spot, but Diogo Leite scored another own goal to restore Bayern’s two-goal lead before half-time. Querfeld converted another penalty after the restart, but Bayern saw out the storm and advanced to the last eight.

Munich started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah and Josip Stanišić in defence. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Lennart Karl and Luis Díaz, with Kane up front. Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Hiroki Ito and Minjae Kim took over from Pavlović, Karl, Laimer and Olise in the second half.

Set pieces as key

Bayern were in the driving seat, but Union by no means parked the bus. Olise saw a shot saved and Neuer denied Ansah at the other end, but Vincent Kompany’s men took the lead when Ansah put through his own goal from a Kimmich corner. Union keeper Frederik Rönnow proved equal to an Olise effort before another Kimmich corner found Kane, who steered his header into the top corner of the net.

Aljoscha Kemlein fired over before Kane beat Rönnow, but the flag was up for offside. Union were awarded a penalty for handball after VAR intervention, with Querfeld dispatching. Bayern restored their two-goal advantage shortly before half-time, Leite diverting Olise’s free-kick into his own goal under pressure from Kane.

On tenterhooks

Union were awarded another penalty for Kane’s challenge on Leite, Querfeld converting again. Kane saw a shot saved and Neuer denied Andras Schäfer, with Ansah firing wide. Díaz soon beat Rönnow, but Leite cleared.

Haberer fired wide before Díaz found the net, but the goal was chalked off for offside. The men from the capital upped the pressure in the closing stages, but Neuer saved from Ansah, Querfeld headed just wide and Tim Skarke drew a comfortable save from Neuer.

Bayern will be back in action on Saturday, when they travel to face Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. They will learn the identity of their next cup opponents on Sunday.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen