Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Wednesday beat Werder Bremen 3-2 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski to advance to the DFB-Pokal final for the second straight year and keep the domestic league and cup double firmly in their sights.
The Bavarians, who also defeated Werder in the Bundesliga last week, are now to face RB Leipzig in the final on May 25.
Bayern lost last year’s final to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Werder scored twice in two minutes to come back from two goals down to level at 2-2 before Lewandowski hit an 80th-minute penalty to secure victory for Bayern, who are chasing a record-extending 19th cup victory.
“We knew it would be tough. We had the penalty, but we also had the chances. We deserved to go through,” said Bayern’s Niko Kovac, who could become the first coach to win the DFB-Pokal in consecutive years with different teams.
“We were caught napping in those two minutes and suddenly Bremen are level,” said Kovac, who won with Frankfurt last year. “The penalty may have been a bit lucky, but overall we fully deserved the win.”
Bayern opened their account with the Bundesliga’s leading scorer, Lewandowski, stabbing in from close range after a looping header from Thomas Mueller had bounced off the post in the 36th minute.
The hosts had their share of chances, but it was Bayern who scored again with Mueller in the 63rd.
Werder fought back through Yuya Osako in the 74th minute and Milot Rashica in the 75th.
However, Lewandowski silenced the home crowd with his spot-kick, which was awarded for a foul on Kingsley Coman by Theodor Gebre Selassie that left the Bremen players furious with the decision.
The Poland forward should have had a hat-trick, but he hit the post from close range in stoppage-time.
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