Icon: enlarge
Double goal scorer Moussa Diaby
Photo: Christof Koepsel / Getty Images
Last year's finalist Bayer Leverkusen is in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup after a 4-1 (1: 1) win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
In the game that had been moved from December to January at the request of Leverkusen, Amin Younes had achieved the early Frankfurt lead (6th minute).
In a turbulent game, Lucas Alario equalized with a penalty (27th), Edmond Tapsoba (49th) and Moussa Diaby (67th, 87th) finally turned the game around.
Despite a red card against Jonathan Tah (73rd), the Leverkusen team confidently kept the lead over time.
The Frankfurt team completed an excellent move early on to take the lead.
Erik Durm created space on the right wing with a dribble and passed the ball to Daichi Kamada.
The Japanese gave the ball flat in the middle, André Silva in the center passed the flank to Younes who moved up, who shot in from close range (6th).
The goal heralded a lively early phase: Nadiem Amiri failed on the other side to Kevin Trapp (12th), André Silva had the chance for Frankfurt to increase to 2-0 (13th).
After the Portuguese opponent had artfully overpowered Jonathan Tah, Silva failed from close range to Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.
Frankfurt played bravely with fast, sharp passes, but then had to accept the goal: Erik Durm blocked a cross from Leon Bailey with his arm, referee Christian Dingert assessed the scene as a criminal handball.
With the due penalty, Alario hit the Frankfurter Tor (27th).
Tapsoba hits from a suspicious position
The game then lost some of its initial momentum, and Younes had to leave the field after just under half an hour.
Steven Zuber came on for Frankfurt's goalscorers (29th).
After the break, Leverkusen took the lead: A free-kick from Kerem Demirbay headed Tapsoba completely free into the goal (49th).
The TV pictures suggested that Tapsoba was just offside, but video evidence in the DFB Cup is only available from the round of 16.
As a result, Frankfurt rarely developed a goal hazard, Martin Hinteregger's flat free kick hardly posed problems for Hradecky (62nd).
Leverkusen made the preliminary decision when Amiri cleared half right in the Frankfurt penalty area after a solo Diaby.
The French made it 3-1 (67th) with a low shot.
After an emergency brake, Leverkusen's Tah had to leave the field with red (73rd), but Frankfurt hardly had any scoring chances.
Instead, Diaby completed a counterattack for the fourth Leverkusen goal (87th).
The DFB Cup continues with the round of 16, which will be played on February 2nd and 3rd.
The opponents of the Leverkusen team have already been decided: The Bundesliga team will play away at Rot-Weiß Essen, the last remaining regional league team in the competition.
Icon: The mirror
cev