Treble-chasing Bayern Munich delivered a commanding 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday to secure a place in the German Cup final for the first time in six years.
Fresh from clinching the Bundesliga title over the weekend, Bayern controlled proceedings for long spells and underlined their dominance with goals from Harry Kane and Luis Diaz.
Their focus now shifts to Europe, with a Champions League semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain looming next week.
Leverkusen showed early intent but struggled to keep pace after the opening exchanges. Kane broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, finishing clinically from close range to register his seventh goal in the competition this season.
“It was a top performance from start to finish,” Kane said after the match. “We pressed well, won the ball high, and honestly could have scored more.”
The England striker, who also leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 32 goals, nearly doubled the lead before halftime, narrowly missing the target with a powerful effort.
By the break, Bayern had already asserted total control, registering nine attempts while limiting their hosts to none.
Leverkusen, managed by Kasper Hjulmand, improved after the interval and showed more urgency. Nathan Tella forced a smart save from Manuel Neuer early in the second half, but clear chances remained scarce.
Bayern eventually sealed the result in stoppage time when Diaz found the net, putting the outcome beyond doubt and confirming their place in the final.
They will now await the winner of the other semi-final between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg.
Head coach Vincent Kompany acknowledged the significance of the achievement but admitted his side has little time to celebrate.
“From my first day, the talk has been about returning to Berlin,” Kompany said. “It means a lot to the club, but we’re already thinking about the next challenge. The important thing is we’re still competing on all fronts.”
