MAINZ: In-form Jamal Musiala bagged a first half hat-trick to steer Bayern Munich to a 4-0 victory over hosts Mainz 05 on Wednesday and into the German Cup third round.
Germany midfielder Musiala, who also scored in their 5-0 league win over VfL Bochum on Sunday, slotted in from a Harry Kane pass for a second-minute lead after a powerful run down the left by Alphonso Davies.
Musiala headed in the second goal in the 37th from close range.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern, who had lost in the second round in three of the last four German Cup competitions, struck twice more in first-half stoppage time through Leroy Sane and Musiala to kill off the tie.
The visitors took their foot off the gas after the break but Mainz still found no way past the Bayern defence.
Substitute Leon Goretzka thought he had scored another for Bayern with a glancing header but Mainz keeper Robin Zentner pulled off a sensational save to deny the midfielder.
Arminia Bielefeld beat Bundesliga club Union Berlin 2-0 at home to become the only third division side in the hat for the last 16.
A brace from Jakob Lemmer was not enough for the other remaining third division side, Dynamo Dresden, who lost 3-2 to Darmstadt in extra time, with Aleksandar Vukotic, Tobias Kempe and Isac Lidberg getting the goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush kept up his stellar recent form, scoring the winner in a 2-1 defeat of Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Frankfurt were reduced to 10 men when Arthur Theate was sent off for a handball outside the box just 15 minutes in.
French forward Hugo Ekitike put the five-time winners in front in first-half stoppage time but Gladbach’s Ko Itakura levelled things up at the start of the second.
With 20 minutes remaining, Marmoush put the undermanned Eagles back in front, his 11th goal in 13 matches in all competitions this season.
A Matthias Ginter goal and a penalty from Vincenzo Grifo, both in the first half, fired Freiburg to a 2-1 home win over three-time winners Hamburg, who scored through Jonas Meffert in the second half.
Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin beat Heidenheim 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Derry Scherhant and Michael Cuisance.
Werder Bremen beat Paderborn 1-0 with Marvin Ducksch scoring the only goal, while Hoffenheim beat the Miroslav Klose-coached Nuremberg 2-1.
Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2024
