Bayern were pushed all the way before overcoming second division Bochum in a pulsating DFB Cup Round of 16 tie on Tuesday evening, Arjen Robben’s stoppage-time goal ultimately sealing a quarter-final berth for the 15-time winners in a narrow triumph for class over sheer determination and effort.
The 29,299 capacity crowd at Rewirpower Stadium saw the home side put up stiff, hard-working resistance to their opponents’ superior footballing skills in the first half, Giovanni Federico handing the underdogs a shock 26th-minute lead with their first real chance.
Jupp Heynckes clearly used some choice words in the dressing room at the interval, as the men from Munich came out for the second period bristling with intent and equalised seven minutes into the half through Toni Kroos, played in superbly by half-time sub Mario Gomez. It was end-to-end stuff in a cracking finish to the match, before the outstanding Franck Ribery set up Robben to settle it in the first minute of added time.
The hard-earned win sends FCB into the draw for the quarter-finals, to be held on Wednesday evening on completion of the last sixteen ties. The Munich stars now head off on their holiday break, before reporting back for the flight to the mid-season training camp in Doha on 2 January. Bayern’s next competitive match is the Bundesliga restart fixture away to Borussia Mönchengladbach on 20 January.
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