Bayern Munich advanced to the semifinals of the German Cup on Wednesday with a 4-0 win away from home against Mainz thanks in large part to the play of new signing Joo Cancelo. Additional Football-Related News
The Portugal left back, who had just joined on loan from Manchester City, started on the right wing and assisted on the game’s first goal, which was scored by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the seventeenth minute.
After a slow start to the season (3 draws in the Bundesliga), Bayern finally broke through for its first win of 2023 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the German Cup for the first time since 2020.
Cancelo took advantage of some sloppy defending by Mainz by sending a lofted cross to the far post, where Choupo-Moting was waiting to head the ball in. Later in the half, Thomas Müller set up Jamal Musiala for a shot that went in off the right post.
Bayern remained dominant, with chances squandered by Matthijs de Ligt and a free kick by Joshua Kimmich. Before halftime, things became much worse for Mainz as captain Silvan Widmer went off hurt and Choupo-Moting assisted Leroy Sané on a goal.
The second half saw a marked improvement from Mainz, but the visitors held strong, and Alphonso Davies scored the game-winning goal on a header from a free kick taken by Kimmich in the 83rd minute.
Bo Svensson, the Mainz coach, was dismissed shortly before Davies scored. Svensson reportedly questioned the fourth official if they were all blind, according to referee Deniz Aytekin’s postgame comments.
In the 86th minute, Mainz defender Alexander Hack received his second caution. On February 14, Bayern travels to Paris Saint-Germain for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 encounter.
Musiala went to the locker room with a limp, but he returned to play the second half. After violent collisions in the second half, de Ligt and his Dutch teammate Ryan Gravenberch required medical care. They both kept going.
Former champion Leipzig advanced with a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim. On Tuesday, Union Berlin and Stuttgart both advanced to the quarterfinals. Next week will include even more third-round contests.