DFB Pokal: FC Bayern Munich Swipe Aside VfL Wolfsburg With Thomas Mueller Brace

FC Bayern Munich eased into the third round of the German Cup on Tuesday with a 3-1 win at holders VfL Wolfsburg as Germany forward Thomas Mueller scored twice.

It was 5-1 when the teams last met four weeks ago after Robert Lewandowski scored all five goals in just nine second half minutes of the Bundesliga rout, but Mueller was VfL Wolfsburg’s primary tormentor on this occasion.

FC Bayern Munich gave last season’s German league runners-up a first-half masterclass in attacking football in the second-round clash as Brazil winger Douglas Costa opened the scoring with a thunderbolt from outside the area on 15 minutes.

Then Mueller took full advantage of two superb crosses from left-back David Alaba on 20 and 34 minutes to make it 3-0 at the break.

“That was a superior display from us in the first-half,” said FC Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm.

The game’s tempo dropped in the second half, but VfL Wolfsburg had the last word when midfielder Maximilian Arnold found Andre Schuerrle in space.

The Germany winger fired his shot past FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on 90 minutes, but it was no more than a consolation goal.

FC Bayern Munich are peerless in Germany: seven points clear in the Bundesliga in their attempt to win a fourth straight title and they are the team to beat in the cup.

“There’s no need to say much about the first half,” grumbled VfL Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking.

“You can’t afford to play like that and if FC Bayern Munich had scored a couple more goals we would have had no cause for complaint.”

Earlier, two Bundesliga teams suffered embarrassing defeats as Eintracht Frankfurt were humbled 1-0 by third division Erzgebirge Aue and ten-man Mainz crashed out as second division 1860 Munich scored late goals to claim a 2-1 win.

Fourth division Unterhaching pulled off another shock giant killing act with a 2-0 win at home to second division RB Leipzig as the Bavarian amateurs again punched well above their weight.

Having stunned Bundesliga side Ingolstadt in the first round, early goals from midfielder Markus Einsiedler, who set up Marco Rosenzweig for the second on 23 minutes before Thomas Steinherr added a third on 67 minutes.

Darmstadt beat Hanover 2-1 in the all-Bundesliga clash with all three goals scored in a frantic five minute spell.

Aytac Sulu’s strike for Darmstadt on 74 minutes was immediately cancelled out by Hanover striker Artur Sobiech before Darmstadt forward Sandro Wagner chested the ball over the line on 79 minutes for the winning goal.

Hertha Berlin needed extra time to seal their 2-1 win over second division FSV Frankfurt as Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou scored both Berlin’s goals, including netting a 99th minute penalty to settle the tie.

Frankfurt finished with ten men when defender Marvin Plattenhardt was sent off right at the end of extra time.

By AFP