Bayern edge seven-goal DFB Cup thriller to reach last eight

Bayern Munich 4-3 Hoffenheim
Goals: 0-1 Boateng (o.g. 8'), 1-1 Hübner (o.g. 12'), 2-1 Müller (20'), 3-1 Lewandowski (36'), 4-1 Lewandowski (80'), 4-2 Dabbur (82'), 4-3 Dabbur (90+2')

Bayern were quick out of the blocks with Lewandowski dispatching the ball into the back of the net after only five minutes, but Müller had drifted just marginally offside before he set up the Pole, and the goal was ruled out. Just seconds after VAR had confirmed the on-field decision, Hoffenheim raced up the other end of the field and took the lead with Ihlas Bebou's shot turned into his own goal by Jerome Boateng. Their lead lasted only four minutes, though, before an own-goal at the other end from Benjamin Hüber, who turned Alphonso Davies' cross into his own goal while under pressure from Müller, brought Bayern level. Müller tried to claim that goal, but nobody disputed his claim to Bayern's second as he converted a David Alaba cross. Lewandowski gave Bayern a commanding half-time advantage when he headed in a third with Hoffenheim goalkeeper Philipp Pentke caught in no-man's land.

Gnabry and Müller both wasted chances to increase Bayern's lead early in the second half, while Pentke was at full stretch to turn a Lewandowski header over. Hoffenheim threw caution to the wind in search of a route back into the game, opening the game even further with their endeavours. Bebou had a shot deflect over before he made way for Munas Dabbur. Steven Zuber went close before Hübner thought he had made amends for his own goal by scoring at the other end, but a handball in the build-up meant the goal was ruled out. Lewandowski eased any concern Bayern may have had as Hoffenheim increased the pressure, heading in his second and Bayern's fourth, but after he and Müller were withdrawn with an eye on Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with RB Leipzig, Dabbur reduced the arrears again. Dabbur added a third in stoppage time, after having missed an even easier chance moments earlier, but Bayern managed to hold on for victory.

• Lewandowski has been the DFB Cup’s top scorer in each of the last three seasons. He’s currently seventh in the all-time DFB Cup scoring list with 36 goals.
• Lewandowski and Müller have scored in all four of Bayern's competitive games in 2020.
• Dabbur scored his first goals in the DFB Cup, and first for Hoffenheim.
• Hansi Flick took charge of his first DFB Cup game with Bayern. He was head coach at Hoffenheim for over five years and oversaw their first-ever match in the competition, leading them to the quarter-finals in their second campaign.
• No team has ever won two matches away at Bayern in the same season since the Munich club were promoted to the Bundesliga in 1965.

Bayern: Neuer (c) – Pavard, Boateng (83' Odriozola), Alaba, Davies – Kimmich, Tolisso – Gnabry, Coutinho, Müller (Zirkzee 81') – Lewandowski (Cuisance 81')
Unused subs: Ulreich, Thiago, Dajaku, Goretzka, Hernandez, Batista-Meier
Out: Coman (knee), Martinez (thigh), Süle (torn ACL), Perisic (ankle)
Coach: Hansi Flick

Hoffenheim: Pentke – Nordtveit, Akpoguma, Hübner (c) – Kaderabek, Rudy, Grillitsch (Ribeiro 71'), Zuber – Bruun Larsen (Baumgartner 71'), Kramaric, Bebou (Dabbur 61')
Unused subs: Esser, Bicakcic, Samassekou, Skov, Beier, Posch
Out: Adamyan (ankle), Baumann (knee), Belfodil (knee), Elmkies (knock), Geiger (thigh)
Coach: Alfred Schreuder

AS IT HAPPENED

FULL TIME!

What drama in the end, but Bayern have held on for victory!

90+2' DABBUR AT THE DOUBLE!

After going close to scoring a third, Dabbur has now done just that! Pavard struck against his own post and Dabbur has followed through to tuck in the rebound. What a final few minutes we have here!

90' FOUR MINUTES LEFT

There will be four minutes of stoppage time.

87' DABBUR CHANCE!

It seemed easier to score than to miss from just five yards, and what an ending to this game we would have had! However, Dabbur has sent his header wide from a totally unmarked position in front of Neuer's goal, and the Allianz Arena breathes a collective sigh of relief.

82' DABBUR REDUCES ARREARS!

What were we saying? Dabbur gets two bites of the cherry and the second one is threaded inside Neuer's post. It's now 4-2!

80' LEWANDOWSKI DOUBLE!

Lewandowski has probably secured Bayern's place in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup, leaping to head in a corner for his second of the game, before marching off to be replaced by Zirkzee. Cuisance is also on for Müller, now the result appears to be beyond doubt.

74' CLOSE AGAIN FROM HOFFENHEIM!

Is there still going to be a twist in this tie? Hoffenheim are certainly trying to provide it, and Baumgartner has just sent a shot over with only Neuer left to beat.

72' HOFFENHEIM GOAL RULED OUT

Hoffenheim think they have re-opened the game, but Hübner's goal is ruled out since the Hoffenheim captain handled the ball.

71' ZUBER EFFORT!

What a strike that is from Zuber, who sends a volley towards the top left-hand corner of Neuer's goal, but the Bayern custodian has made a fine save to keep it out!

61' DABBUR ON

First change of the night, and Hoffenheim's winter signing Dabbur is on. It's a roll of the dice from Schreuder, who has not given up all hope of getting back into this game. Bebou makes way.

56' BEB-OOOH!

That's very close from Hoffenheim, who combine well in attack with Bebou finally seizing the initiative to shoot, but his effort ricochets off Davies and goes over the crossbar.

52' NEXT CHANCE FOR BAYERN!

Thomas Müller is the next in line to try to kill this tie off, but his delicate chip past Pentke is also too high to dip under the crossbar. It has to be said, however, that despite Bayern's chances in this second half, Hoffenheim have shown plenty of attacking intent of their own, even if Manuel Neuer is yet to be tested.

51' LEWANDOWSKI HEADER

A Kimmich corner is headed towards goal by Lewandowski, but he is denied his 36th goal in the DFB Cup by a fine save from Pentke. Chances coming for Bayern to add a fourth and put this game to bed.

49' GNABRY CHANCE!

Serge Gnabry receives a long ball from Joshua Kimmich and he only has Pentke to beat, but he has blazed his shot over the crossbar!

SECOND HALF

No changes at the break, as we get back under way at the Allianz Arena.

HALF-TIME

Bayern are on course for the last eight of the DFB Cup after coming from behind to lead Hoffenheim 3-1 at the interval. While there are still 45 minutes remaining, the way Bayern have dominated so far, and had chances to score more, makes a comeback look unlikely. This is Cup football, though, so let's not take anything for granted!

40' BERLIN, BERLIN, WE'RE GOING TO BERLIN!

The Bayern Munich fans are convinced their team are heading to another DFB Cup final in the German capital. While there is still quite a way to go – not least tonight – it does seem that they are going to be one step closer tonight.

36' LEWANGOALSKI!

There's the third for Bayern, and Pentke was caught out this time. He goes for a high ball which Müller wins, and the ball comes down just in front of Lewandowski to flex his neck muscles and nod into the unguarded goal.

30' DAVIES DUELLING

The battle between Davies and Bebou is an intriguing one, and the Bayern full-back comes out on top again to earn a corner, and more applause. Bayern are trying to turn the screw as soon as they can here, so that they can start to think about a rather important Bundesliga clash with RB Leipzig on Sunday.

36' LEWANGOALSKI!

There's the third for Bayern, and Pentke was caught out this time. He goes for a high ball which Müller wins, and the ball comes down just in front of Lewandowski to flex his neck muscles and nod into the unguarded goal.

24' GNABRY GOES CLOSE!

Pentke is in for a busy night, but he has proven up to the task on several occasions. First he denies Gnabry, whose low shot appeared destined for the far corner, and then from the resulting corner, he has done it again by denying Gnabry from close range.

23' LEWANDOWSKI!

Not even he will know how he has missed that one! He did have his back to goal when he received the ball just in front of Pentke, but after swivelling to face goal, you would bet your house on him converting, but he has shot straight at the Hoffenheim goalkeeper!

20' BAYERN LEAD!

There is no doubts that this goal belongs to Thomas Müller! David Alaba lifts the ball into the area and the Germany international gets his shin pad to the ball ahead of his marker to divert it in, and Bayern lead!

19' APPLAUSE FOR DAVIES

Davies is working his socks off for Bayern and whenever he touches the ball, there is an air of anticipation at the Allianz Arena. He has earned applause for his effort to dribble into the area, beating three Hoffenheim defenders but finding his match in the fourth. 10/10 for effort, though.

12' BAYERN EQUALISE – ANOTHER OWN GOAL!

Hoffenheim's lead did not last long! Müller has slid in to meet Alphonso Davies' cross and while he did not quite make contact, Hübner has turned it in past his own goalkeeper. All square again.

8' GOAL HOFFENHEIM – BOATENG OWN GOAL!

Hoffenheim have the lead here and it is Ihlas Bebou who has caused it! Manuel Neuer parries a shot and the ball is pulled back to Bebou, whose shot has been turned into his own goal by Jerome Boateng!

5' BAYERN GOAL RULED OUT - VAR!

Robert Lewandowski did not even celebrate – he felt there was an offside flag – and VAR was consulted to confirm that Thomas Müller was indeed beyond the last Hoffenheim defender – by a hair on his knee – before teeing up the Pole, who put the ball in the back of the net anyway.

3' COUTINHO SHOT!

There was no nerves at all in the way Philippe Coutinho lined up and struck that shot from just outside the penalty area. He did not hit the target, but that is the first attempt of the night, and it comes from a Bayern player.

2' EARLY NERVES

The opening exchanges have been characterised by wayward passes and no real rhythm. Given the stakes, it is understandable that there are a few nerves on show.

KICK-OFF!

We are underway in the Allianz Arena!

OUT COME THE TEAMS

It's a crisp, February night in Munich, but the wonder of the DFB Cup will ensure everybody manages to keep warm tonight!

TWO MORE TICKETS

Just a reminder that, after Eintracht Frankfurt, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Schalke reached the quarter-finals last night, Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin have punched their tickets tonight, while the winner of Saarbrücken's clash with Karlsruher – being played simultaneously to this one – will be the only non-Bundesliga side in the last eight.

WARM-UPS OVER

The players are disappearing back into the dressing room at the end of their warm-ups as the Allianz Arena glows in red on the northern edge of the city of Munich. Not long now before we find out the identity of one of the final names in the hat for the last eight of the DFB Cup.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE?

Bayern will naturally be favourites to win tonight, but there were wins for nominal outsiders Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig respectively last night. Bayer Leverkusen have managed to do justice to their role of favourites by beating VfB Stuttgart tonight, but will the wonder of the Cup deliver another surprise here?

HISTORY ON HOFFENHEIM'S SIDE

Hoffenheim are in the last 16 for the first time since 2014/15, and whenever they did make it this far, they always progressed one step further. They did that seven times, once under the guidance of current Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who took them all the way to the quarter-finals in 2003/04 before going down to Lübeck.

HOME SWEET HOME?

Perhaps that does not apply so much for Bayern tonight, at least not in terms of their DFB Cup record at the Allianz Arena. While they have not lost a single Cup game on the road over the past decade, they have been eliminated three times on home turf. Considering Hoffenheim won 2-1 in Munich in the Bundesliga already this season, the omens are not entirely encouraging for Hansi Flick's men.

FIVE CHANGES

All told, Schreuder has made five changes from the side which beat Leverkusen at the weekend. Flick has made three amendments from the team he sent out for a 3-1 win in Mainz.

HOFFENHEIM TEAM NEWS

Sargis Adamyan, scorer of both goals in Hoffenheim's historic win in Munich back on Bundesliga Matchday 7 misses out for the visitors, while winter signing Munas Dabbur drops to the bench. Coach Alfred Schreuder instead opts for the pace of Ihlas Bebou alongside top scorer Andrej Kramaric. Steven Zuber is preferred to Robert Skov on the left-hand side, and there's a debut for new boy Jacob Bruun Larsen.

BAYERN TEAM NEWS

Philippe Coutinho starts ahead of Leon Goretzka, while Serge Gnabry comes in for the injured Ivan Perisic. With Leipzig up next in the league, interim coach Hansi Flick rests in-form string-puller Thiago, with World Cup winner Corentin Tolisso slotting into the midfield. France teammate Lucas Hernandez makes the bench, meanwhile, following a lengthy lay-off.

WELCOME!

Beware of DFB Cup banana skins! After Bremen dumped out Dortmund and Frankfurt accounted for last season's beaten finalists Leipzig yesterday, Bayern will be taking no chances in the next hurdle of their title defence. Not that visiting Hoffenheim will be overawed by the occasion at the Allianz Arena, where they have already won this term. Stay tuned!