Bundesliga
Leverkusen edge out Dortmund
Ibrahim Maza scored the only goal as Bayer Leverkusen won at Borussia Dortmund to reach the 2025/26 DFB Cup quarter-finals.
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Maza 34'
Dortmund had won 2-1 at Leverkusen in the Bundesliga just days earlier, but fell behind 34 minutes into a high-octane first half on home soil. Maza took advantage of some hesitant defending to break the deadlock, prompting a sustained spell of BVB pressure. Karim Adeyemi twice had presentable chances to level before the break, but could not find the target with either attempt.
0 - 1(0 - 1)
Dortmund
FINAL
Leverkusen
90' +5
vs
Side netting!
Adeyemi beats his man at the back post as Brandt sends in a cross, but his header drops the wrong side of the upright.
90' +3
vs
Defensive reinforcement
Hjulmand sends on defender Loïc Badé in a bid to hold off Dortmund. Former BVB midfielder Jonas Hofmann makes way.
90' +3
vs
Loïc Badé
Jonas Hofmann
90'
vs
Six added minutes
Can gets a ticking-off as the fourth official's board goes up to indicate another six minutes...
90'
vs
Emre Can
87'
vs
Tillman booked
The substitute goes into the book after catching the ankle of Bensebaini.
87'
vs
Malik Tillman
85'
vs
Final BVB change
Ramy Bensebaini replaces Svensson in the left-back position. The Algerian loves a penalty, if Dortmund do manage to take this one the distance...
85'
vs
Ramy Bensebaini
Daniel Svensson
83'
vs
Like-for-like switch
Fresh legs on the Leverkusen left as Nathan Tella replaces Poku.
83'
vs
Nathan Tella
Ernest Poku
82'
vs
No joy
Another corner produces another acrobatic attempt, but Guirassy's bicycle-kick lacks the power to trouble Flekken. Time's running out for BVB...
79'
vs
Denied
Grimaldo returns to the field in time for Svensson to send over a corner. Beier misses the ball with his overhead effort and Flekken is out quickly to block from Anton.
78'
vs
Grimaldo concern
The Leverkusen left-back stays down after overstretching his left knee...
76'
vs
Worth a go
Schlotterbeck has a crack from range, but his shot whistles wide of the target. It may well take something special for BVB to get back into this...
75'
vs
Professional foul
Andrich takes one for the team to stop Adeyemi going one-on-one up against Tapsoba.
75'
vs
Robert Andrich
74'
vs
One for another
Pascal Groß replaces Nmecha in the middle of the park, in Dortmund's fourth change of the contest.
74'
vs
Pascal Groß
Felix Nmecha
72'
vs
Chance!
Bellingham is penalised following a tangle with Grimaldo, who's helped up by the Leverkusen physios, but should be OK to continue. A Schick header tests Kobel's reflexes from the ensuing free-kick.
71'
vs
Jobe Bellingham
68'
vs
Caution
Anton is cautioned for hauling down Schick. He'll have to watch his step for the remainder...
68'
vs
Plan B
Very positive changes by Kovač as playmaker Julian Brandt and forwards Max Beier and Serhou Guirassy enter the fray.
67'
vs
Julian Brandt
Julian Ryerson
67'
vs
Serhou Guirassy
Fabio Silva
68'
vs
Waldemar Anton
67'
vs
Maximilian Beier
Carney Chukwuemeka
62'
vs
Double change
Hjulmand sent on Patrik Schick and Malik Tillman while that VAR check was going on. Kofane and Terrier were the players to make way.
61'
vs
Patrik Schick
Christian Kofane
61'
vs
Malik Tillman
Martin Terrier
62'
vs
Disallowed goal!
Maza and Grimaldo combine to cut open the Dortmund defence. Martin Terrier sticks away Grimaldo's cross into the penalty area, but the goal is ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
58'
vs
Unorthodox!
Flekken spills a shot from Nmecha, but manages to clear with his feet before Ryerson can pounce. Adeyemi then miscues a shot that's deflected behind for another fruitless corner.
56'
vs
From back to front
Adeyemi chases down a long punt, but Flekken beats him to it and puts the ball into touch. How long before Kovač turns to a bench that includes Guirassy?
52'
vs
Cleared
Adeyemi and Ryerson combine well, with the latter's fierce cross blocked behind for a corner by García. Svensson's delivery is too deep, though, and Bayer get it clear.
49'
vs
No way through
It's been all Dortmund since the restart, but the Leverkusen press is largely keeping them at arm's length.
46'
vs
No changes
Both sides line up as they were as the play resumes for the second half. Dortmund have the Yellow Wall behind them - will it make the difference?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
vs
Added time
Sixty seconds for BVB to find an equaliser before half-time...
44'
vs
Off target
Adeyemi's on the move again in Bayer territory. He runs in off the right and drops a pass in front of Nmecha, who curls a tame effort comfortably wide of Flekken's left-hand post.
41'
vs
Just wide!
Anton goes within a whisker of meeting Svensson's headed pass into the six-yard area. Adeyemi, who started the move with a great switch, picks it up, sending a fierce first-time strike wide of the near post. Flekken barely moved.
40'
vs
Andrich to the rescue!
Silva's superb lay-off from Ryerson's right-wing cross sets up a golden chance for Adeyemi, whose low strike beats Flekken but not the outstretched boot of Andrich. What a clearance!
39'
vs
Over!
Svensson forces the error from Quansah in the Leverkusen half. The ball falls kindly for Adeyemi on the edge of the area, but he can't keep his shot down.
36'
vs
Adeyemi playing on
He went to speak to the Dortmund bench after that goal, but is now moving a little more freely again. One to keep an eye on...
34'
vs
Leverkusen lead!
Grimaldo takes advantage of the space left by Adeyemi to race up field and feed Maza in the BVB box. Anton initially makes the block, only for the ball to ricochet back into the teenager's path. Helped by some hesitant defending, he sweeps a tidy finish past Kobel, who was rooted to the spot.
32'
vs
Adeyemi limping
The Dortmund forward is moving gingerly after losing his footing when running at full tilt to escape the attentions of Alejandro Grimaldo.
30'
vs
Ernest-ly fast
Ernest Poku shows a magnificent first touch on halfway to go past Can. The Dutchman races away up the left-hand side, but his attempted cross into the penalty area is cleared.
26'
vs
Dortmund pressure
A ball into the six-yard box drops in front of Silva, but the bounce is awkward and the white shirts are able to show him away from goal. BVB keep it alive as Ryerson feeds Nmecha for a shot from 18 yards that is pulled harmlessly wide.
23'
vs
Silva from range
The Portuguese forward ghosts inside, before sending a swerving effort high and wide of Flekken's goal. It was certainly the right idea.
Dortmund controlled the play for long periods in the second half, albeit only seriously threatening the Leverkusen goal once when Mark Flekken saved a Felix Nmecha shot at the second time of asking.
Bayer's Martin Terrier had a goal ruled out for offside following VAR review, while Adeyemi planted an injury-time header into the side netting as Dortmund's wait for a first DFB Cup trophy since 2020/21 goes on.
As it happened!