Bayern Munich consolidated its domestic dominance on Saturday with another double by beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in the first German Cup final to be held without fans.
Bayern, which had already won its eighth straight Bundesliga title, retained the cup with goals from David Alaba, Serge Gnabry and two from Robert Lewandowski.
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Bayern Munich consolidated its domestic dominance on Saturday with another double by beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in the first German Cup final to be held without fans.
Supporters were excluded from Berlin’s 75,000-capacity Olympiastadion due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Alaba broke the deadlock with a brilliant free kick inside the top right corner in the 16th minute and Leverkusen was grateful to goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky for blocking Thomas Müller from close range shortly afterward.
Substitute Kevin Volland should have scored for Leverkusen in the 57th, but he missed the ball while attempting to shoot, two minutes before Hradecky allowed Lewandowski’s shot to slip through at the other end.
Leverkusen star Kai Havertz scored a penalty with the last touch of the game. He didn’t celebrate.
Joachim Loew, head coach of the German national team, center, touches his mask during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Munich's Thomas Mueller celebrates scoring his team during the German Soccer Cup final between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (John MacdougallPool via AP) DFB regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences andor quasi-video
T-shits reading "Final" are placed over empty seats during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
It was Bayern’s 20th cup title.
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski challenges for the ball with Leverkusen's Mitchell Weiser during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Supporters were excluded from Berlin’s 75,000-capacity Olympiastadion due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Leverkusen had been bidding for its first title of any sort since 1993, when it last won the cup.
Bayern dominated the first half and could have been leading by more than two goals at the break.
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal with teammate Serge Gnabry during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Alaba broke the deadlock with a brilliant free kick inside the top right corner in the 16th minute and Leverkusen was grateful to goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky for blocking Thomas Müller from close range shortly afterward.
Bayern maintained its pressure and Gnabry fired in the second goal in the 24th.
Leverkusen looked short of ideas and uncertain. Peter Bosz reacted with two changes at the break, but little seemed to change.
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski scores his side's fourth goal during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Substitute Kevin Volland should have scored for Leverkusen in the 57th, but he missed the ball while attempting to shoot, two minutes before Hradecky allowed Lewandowski’s shot to slip through at the other end.
Leverkusen midfielder Sven Bender pulled a goal back in the 64th, prompting a wild phase in which Leverkusen missed more chances.
But Lewandowski killed off any slim hopes of a comeback with his second goal in the 89th.
Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky concedes the third goal, scored by Bayern's Robert Lewandowski during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Leverkusen star Kai Havertz scored a penalty with the last touch of the game. He didn’t celebrate.
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Bayern's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal with teammate Serge Gnabry during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Joachim Loew, head coach of the German national team, center, touches his mask during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)
Munich's Thomas Mueller celebrates scoring his team during the German Soccer Cup final between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (John MacdougallPool via AP) DFB regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences andor quasi-video
T-shits reading "Final" are placed over empty seats during the German soccer cup (DFB Pokal) final match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP PhotoMichael Sohn)