Saarbruecken’s Marcel Gaus celebrates after scoring the winner in opposition to Bayern Munich in German Cup soccer. AP
Bayern Munich crashed out of the German Cup within the second spherical for the third time in 4 years after a exceptional 2-1 loss at third-division Saarbruecken on Wednesday, because of a last-minute winner from Marcel Gaus.
With the scores locked at 1-1 and the match wanting destined for further time, defender Gaus netted within the sixth minute of damage time to seize his staff a well-known victory.
“When a first-division team like Bayern comes to Saarbruecken and loses, then we did something wrong,” veteran Thomas Mueller advised ARD after the match.
Bayern had been crushed by Holstein Kiel on penalties on the identical stage three years in the past, then thrashed 5-0 by Borussia Moenchengladbach in spherical two in 2021.
The document 20-time winners additionally misplaced within the quarter-finals at house to Freiburg final season.
“There could be 100 explanations or maybe none at all. We had injuries but some will say we should win anyway,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned.
An “incredibly proud” house coach Ruediger Ziehl mentioned he had advised his gamers that Thursday’s coaching session was now “voluntary”
“If we don’t celebrate today, then we can never celebrate.”
Bayern, who journey to Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, misplaced central defender Matthijs de Ligt to a probably critical knee damage early within the match, leaving the facet with just one match centre-back.
Six-time Cup winner Mueller appeared to have Bayern heading in the right direction for a routine victory at their less-fancied opponents, earlier than De Ligt injured his knee in a tussle quickly after and signalled instantly to the bench.
The damage pressured midfielder Joshua Kimmich into defence and appeared to place Bayern on the again foot in opposition to a resurgent Saarbruecken.
The hosts struck subsequent, Patrick Sontheimer tapping in a go from Lukas Boeder after Saarbruecken pressed midfielder Frans Kraetzig right into a mistake.
Tuchel introduced on the calvary, together with Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry, however star striker Harry Kane stayed on the bench forward of Saturday’s crunch match.
With the England captain warming up forward of what appeared like sure further time, veteran defender Gaus popped up with a second that may go down in Saarbruecken historical past.
Dortmund, Leverkusen into final 16
Earlier on Wednesday, a strike from Marco Reus gave Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 house win over Hoffenheim.
Youngsters Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Youssoufa Moukoko got uncommon begins as coach Edin Terzic shuffled his deck earlier than Bayern’s go to, however it was veteran ahead Reus who gave Dortmund the lead late within the opening half.
Bynoe-Gittens dribbled down the left flank and formed to shoot earlier than discovering Reus who looped in a one-touch end to attain his one hundred and sixty fifth aim for the membership and provides Dortmund a deserved half-time lead.
The hosts spurned possibilities however Hoffenheim posed little hazard and had been lowered to 10 males in damage time when former Liverpool defender Ozan Kabak noticed pink.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who received the German Cup as soon as throughout a 13-year profession on the membership, mentioned: “Against a team which has won all of their away games, I thought we did very, very well.”
Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen scored three objectives within the remaining 5 minutes to win 5-2 at third-tier Sandhausen.
Argentinian World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios gave Leverkusen an early lead from the spot after Amine Adli was introduced down within the field.
Sandhausen levelled twice early within the second half, Christoph Ehlich and Yassin Ben Balla scoring both facet of a Jonathan Tah aim for the guests.
Leverkusen ahead Adam Hlozek scored within the eighty fifth minute to provide the guests the lead, earlier than Adli added two of his personal to spherical out a nervous victory.
Elsewhere, Freiburg had been crushed 3-1 at house by second-division Paderborn, which means the 2022 finalists be a part of Bayern, holders RB Leipzig, Champions League members Union Berlin and five-time winners Schalke to be eradicated early.
5-time winners Eintracht Frankfurt received at third-division Viktoria Cologne, whereas Hertha Berlin beat Mainz, Magdeburg edged out Holstein Kiel on penalties and four-time winners Nuremberg beat Hansa Rostock in further time.