Leverkusen ease into DFB Cup quarter-finals

Leverkusen 3-1 Paderborn
Goals: 1-0 Boniface 12' (assist: Stanišić), 2-0 Palacios 28' (assist: Frimpong), 2-1 Klaas (82'), 3-1 Schick 88' (assist: Frimpong)

Bundesliga 2 side Paderborn started brightly at the BayArena in a bid to pull of an upset, but Alonso's charges shook off their early challenge to quickly assert control of the game. It did not take them long to break the deadlock, with Josip Stanišić crossing from the right for Boniface to sweep in his 14th competitive goal of the season. It was 2-0 before the half-hour mark as Alonso's attack-minded charges struck again, this time Exequiel Palacios finishing off from Jeremie Frimpong's delivery. Amine Adli also had a goal disallowed before the break as Die Werkself threatened to run away with it. The only sour note for the home side in the first half was Wirtz limping off with injury after being on the receiving end of a hefty tackle on his ankle.

Leverkusen had another goal chalked off early in the second period after Jonas Hofmann's tidy finish from a Boniface pass, but it didn't stand due to offside in the build-up. Frimpong later dragged a shot wide of the post as the hosts appeared in complete control but Paderborn substitute Sebastian Klaas gave them nervy final few minutes when he drilled in from inside the box after Leverkusen struggled to clear their lines. Any hopes of taking the game to extra time were short-lived though, as Patrik Schick made sure Leverkusen went through to the last eight with a poacher's finish shortly before the final whistle.

Match stats

• Boniface leads the Leverkusen scoring chart with 14 across all competitions, followed by left wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo (nine). Adli and Hložek are top for cup goals with three apiece.
• Since a 2-2 draw in the first meeting in 2014, Die Werkself have won all four encounters with Paderborn, including once in the DFB Cup in 2019/20.
• That campaign was the last time Leverkusen reached the quarter-finals, going on to lose the final 4-2 to Bayern. As a player, Alonso reached the DFB Cup final once and won it in 2015/16.
• Paderborn’s Filip Bilbija is the top scorer so far in this season’s DFB Cup with four goals.
• Paderborn have won three of their last six DFB Cup encounters with Bundesliga clubs, also taking Dortmund to extra-time in 2020/21 and conceding in the 86th and 95th minute to lose 2-1 to Stuttgart at this stage last season.
• Only twice before have Paderborn progressed beyond this stage to the quarter-finals, doing so under Steffen Baumgart in 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Teams

Leverkusen: Kovář - Stanišić, Andrich (c), Hincapié (Tapsoba 46') - Frimpong (Tella 90'+1), Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Wirtz (Hofmann 45'+3), Adli (Tah 76') - Boniface (Schick 75')
Unused subs: Hrádecký, Kossounou, Amiri, Hložek
Out: Arthur (thigh)
Coach: Xabi Alonso 

Paderborn: Boevink - Curda, Rohr (Heuer 20'), Hoffmeier - Obermair, Kinsombi (c), Muslia (Klaas 68'), Klefisch (Grimaldo 58'), Muslija - Ansah (Conteh 68'), Bilbija (Platte 58')
Unused subs: Schulz, Leipertz, Müller, Hansen
Out: Ezekwem (muscular), Huth (personal reasons)
Coach: Lukas Kwasniok

As it happened!