Borussia Dortmund beat Bayern Munich after a dramatic German Cup semi-final penalty shootout.
Borussia Dortmund ended Bayern Munich‘s dreams of a treble by beating Pep Guardiola’s men in the semifinal of the DFB-Pokal in a dramatic penalty shootout. Robert Lewandowski put Bayern in front and they appeared to be cruising until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled in the 75th minute. Arjen Robben came and went with an injury ending his brief involvement in the game, while Dortmund ended the game with 10 men after Kevin Kampl was sent off in extra-time. The real drama was to unfold in the penalty shootout, though, with Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso both slipping and Mario Gotze‘s penalty saved before Manuel Neuer sent his spot-kick against the crossbar. Dortmund netted two of their three penalties to go through.
Bayern, who won the Bundesliga title on Sunday, missed all four of their penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time as Dortmund, beaten finalists last season, took revenge and maintained their hopes of a Europa League spot next season.
Jurgen Kloppa s final game in charge of Borussia Dortmund will be the DFB-Pokal final and he was visibly ecstatic after the game.
“It was one hell of a game. Both teams gave absolutely everything and tried absolutely everything. But I would have liked to have seen us play with more courage in the first half. I said to the lads in the half-time break that it was OK for us to lose in Munich but only if we went down fighting. In the first half I didn’t see the desire that we really wanted to reach the final in Berlin. We didn’t play particularly well, and yet the score was still only 0-1. Perhaps in the second half the Bayern players felt the game was done and dusted. It’s not as if we’d been overly dangerous. But football can be like that. I don’t know why they all slipped over as they ran up to take their penalties. It was just meant to be today. And it’s absolutely great that we’ve reached the final.”
Pep Guardiola refused to blame his players after watching them crash out on penalties.”I am proud of my team. In fact, I have never been this proud of my players,” Guardiola told Sky.
“We played very well. It was the best game we have played against Dortmund since I arrived at Bayern.This is nothing to be ashamed of. We lost a football match. To be ashamed would need something worse.This does not mean anything for the Barcelona game. That is a new match and a new competition.”
Arjen Robben made his return from injury after a month on the sidelines when he came on in the 71st minute, but had to be replaced less than 15 minutes later with a thigh injury, while Robert Lewandowski was also substituted with a head injury.”Arjen is injured, Thiago picked up a knock and Lewy needs to go to hospital with a concussion. I don’t know if Lewandowski will play against Barcelona,” Guardiola concluded.