Enlarge image
Maximilian Beier scored twice for Hannover
Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
5-0 against FC Bayern Munich, 0-3 at Hannover 96: Borussia Mönchengladbach's cup season took a surprising turn at the second division club.
RB Leipzig, who were unscathed against Hansa Rostock, are increasingly becoming favorites to win the cup.
Borussia, which was recently weak in the league, started the game shakily and lost many duels. Hannover 96 were able to seize the first chance of the game to take the lead: 96 attacker Maximilian Beier got the ball in the penalty area and shot it from nine yards into the top left corner to make it 1-0 (4th minute).
After a big chance from Florian Neuhaus from the inside right in the penalty area (12'), Borussia woke up.
She invested more now and shifted the game to the Hanover half of the field.
But the next goal also belonged to 96: After a shot by Beier, the ball unhappily hit Marvin Friedrich's arm.
After video evidence, referee Florian Badstübner decided on a penalty, which Sebastian Kerk converted into the bottom right corner of the goal (36th).
Yann Sommer, who last saved two penalties in the Bundesliga against Bayer Leverkusen, was still there with his hand.
Beier in the front, Zieler in the back
Gladbach bounced back towards the end of the first half, but the chances from Neuhaus (42') and Alassane Plea (43') brought nothing because the attentive 96-keeper Ron-Robert Zieler was there twice.
Gladbach coach Adi Hütter had replaced the disappointing attackers Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram at the break.
But the second half of the game also started badly for the error-prone Gladbachers: they lost the ball after their own corner and were quickly countered.
Linton Maina put down the middle line into Baier's run, who scored with a flick of the outside of the foot to make it 3-0 (51') - a brace for the loan from Hoffenheim.
Hannover had more chances, with the rare rays of hope, such as Denis Zakaria's chance after Lars Stindl's preparatory work (75th), Gladbach repeatedly despaired of the outstanding 96-goalkeeper Zieler.
RB Leipzig was spared the death of favorites: Last year's cup finalists won their round of 16 at home against Hansa Rostock narrowly but comfortably.
Yussuf Poulsen scored an early lead, the Dane had no problem heading a sensitive cross from Lukas Klostermann over the line from close range (6').
Coach Domenico Tedesco's team then had the game completely under control, Willi Orban's attempt at the outside of the post (26') and Christopher Nkunku's artful shot at the crossbar (39') almost made the preliminary decision early.
The tight score kept the game exciting for a while, substitute Nico Neidhart even created a touch of goal danger with a low shot just wide of the Leipzig goal (51st).
However, the second division promoted team did not manage a real phase of pressure.
When Rostock finally took more risks, substitute Dani Olmo completed a counterattack to make it 2-0 (83').
cev/cf
