Maza strike ensures Leverkusen dump Dortmund out of DFB-Pokal

Bayer Leverkusen secured a crucial 1-0 win to extract some revenge and advance to the quarter-final at BVB’s expense.

Having defeated tonight’s opponents in Bundesliga action last Saturday, tonight’s DfB Pokal clash offered Borussia Dortmund a chance to inflict more pain on Bayer Leverkusen. However, the tables turned again as the visitors advanced with a 1-0 win. 

Both sides made lively beginnings to the game with some nice sequences of play. Aleix Garcia was first to threaten but found his shot well blocked by Waldemar Anton. At the other end, the frightening pace of Karim Adeyemi took the shape of BVB’s threat. 

On what was a rare start for Fábio Silva, the Portuguese marksman tried his luck from range but to no avail. Niko Kovač’s side continued to build in the offensive third with several crosses from Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson which we’re repelled.

However, it was Leverkusen who went 1-0 to the good inside 34 minutes. It won’t make for a pleasant match review for Emre Can and Anton as Alejandro Grimaldo slipped a neat ball into Ibrahim Maza who evaded their challenges to place it in the top-right corner. 

The concession of the goal lit a fire under the hosts who pushed hard to equalise – notably Adeyemi’s goal-bound effort kept out by Robin Andrich’s intervention. BVB perhaps felt a little hard done after Quansah appeared to pull Chukwuemeka down in the box earlier in the half. 

Similar to the Bundesliga version of this fixture last weekend, clear goal-scoring opportunities were entirely limited. Nearing the hour, Dortmund eventually tested Flekken as Nmecha forced the Dutch shot-stopper into a double save when Ryerson followed up.

Leverkusen thought they doubled their advantage when Grimaldo, Maza and Terrier combined, but the Spanish wing-back was just offside in the process. Kasper Hjulmand replenished his attack as Patrik Schick and Malik Tillman replaced Kofane and Terrier. 

Kovač also called on his cavalry with Serhou Guirassy, Julian Brandt and Maxi Beier thrust into the fray. Nico Schlotterbeck went close with a low drive from range and Adeyemi headed wide at the death, but BVB ultimately lacked the cutting edge to force extra-time.