Franck Ribery-inspired Bayern comfortably overcame the next hurdle on their quest for a record 18th DFB Cup triumph with a fully deserved 3-1 victory away to old foes Hamburg in Wednesday evening’s second round tie.
The 57,000 full house at the Imtech Arena saw Pep Guardiola’s side take an early lead through Robert Lewandowski and then defend with great composure against the fired-up home team, before David Alaba made it two with a long-range stunner a minute from half-time. Ribery celebrated his return to the starting line-up with the third goal ten minutes into the second half, and although Pierre-Michel Lasogga headed a consolation at the end, the men from Munich ultimately posted a highly convincing win.
Seventeen-time cup winners FCB now go into the last sixteen draw, to be held late on Wednesday evening once all the second round ties are complete. The Bavarians will be boosted by the cup result ahead of two crucial fixtures in the next seven days, the top domestic clash against Dortmund at the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening and the Champions League return at home to AS Roma the following Wednesday.
Arjen rested, Franck and Jerome return
Pep Guardiola made two changes to the team held to a goalless draw by Mönchengladbach on Sunday, with Ribery starting in place of Mario Götze, and Jerome Boateng replacing Mahdi Benatia, who served out a one-match ban carried over from his Italian cup exploits with Roma. Arjen Robben missed his second game in a row but only as a precaution ahead of the BVB clash, as the Dutchman is fit again after injury.
It meant the DFB Cup holders started with Manuel Neuer in goal, Rafinha, Boateng, Dante and Juan Bernat in defence, Xabi Alonso in front of the back four, Philipp Lahm and Alaba in roving midfield roles, and a forward line of Thomas Müller, Lewandowski and Ribery.
Comfortable half-time lead
After referee Marco Fritz whistled play underway, Lasogga warmed Neuer’s gloves with the first chance of the game, but the competition’s most successful team had the lead on seven minutes when Müller latched onto Heiko Westermann’s suicidal back pass and released Lewandowski to net at the second attempt after Swiss stalwart Johan Djourou had blocked the Pole’s initial shot on the goal-line.
HSV responded energetically but the holders kept their cool and seemed to have doubled the lead on 20 minutes when Müller rounded home keeper Jaroslav Drobny and netted. However, although the Germany man was onside when Lewandowski played the original through pass, the ball took a faint deflection off Alaba, by which time Müller was behind the last defender.
FCB continued to see more of the ball over the next quarter of an hour but Hamburg pressed aggressively and resorted to rough stuff at times, both Ashton Götz and Djourou earning yellow cards for clattering into Ribery.
The visitors upped the tempo with half-time approaching and Drobny made a superb reaction save from Lahm, who had charged through in the centre-forward position to meet Alaba’s reverse pass. Müller inadvertently blocked Ribery’s effort, but Munich had their second goal in the 44th minute when Alaba accepted Alonso’s square pass, took a pace forward and let fly from fully 30 yards, the ball swerving wickedly on its way past the unsighted Drobny and into the net.
Ribery wraps it up
HSV came out with obvious intent after the restart, but although the home side lofted the ball into the Bayern box on several occasions, the best they had to show for it was a Lasogga header well over Neuer’s crossbar. Meanwhile, FCB struck clinically at the other end when the excellent Bernat fed Ribery, whose right-footed drive took a deflection off Djourou and fizzed past Drobny to make the score 3-0 after 55 minutes.
The home side’s resistance was broken now, although Drobny performed miracles to deny Lewandowski and the Pole rather hastily attempted a lob after running onto Dante’s fine long pass, before Sebastian Rode, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and Claudio Pizarro took over from Lahm, Alonso and Lewandowski for the closing stages.
The game was won but Munich still pushed forward, with Ribery again denied when Drobny stretched to push aside the Frenchman’s low drive, Pizarro just failing to connect with Alaba’s pass and Bernat aiming across the face of goal. HSV sub Rafael van der Vaart chipped for Lasogga to head home an 85th-minute consolation with FCB committed to attack, but Drobny was still the busier keeper with saves from Ribery and twice from Müller as the Reds finished the match on the front foot as ever.
Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley
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