DFB-Pokal Shocker: Holstein Kiel slay Germany's giants in 6-5 penalty shootout win
Amid a steady flow of North German snow flurries, second-tier club Holstein Kiel claimed the ultimate footballing scalp.
A Fin Bartels spot kick in the sixth round of a penalty shootout ultimately slew Germany's giants.
For the first time in two decades, the mighty FC Bayern München have been eliminated in the DFB Pokal's 2nd round.
A Fin Bartels spot kick in the sixth round of a penalty shootout ultimately slew Germany's giants.
For the first time in two decades, the mighty FC Bayern München have been eliminated in the DFB Pokal's 2nd round.
| Manuel Neuer. |
The FCB attacker took advantage of the inadvertent hit to open the scoring. The tally could not be overturned as VAR teams do not monitor the match at this early stage of the domestic cup. The record champions enjoyed the lion's share of possession thereafter, missing out on several quality chances to double their advantage before the first-half was out.
Kiel nevertheless managed to pull back the equalizer on one of the game's rare counterattacks. Right-back Jannick Dehm caught the infamous FCB high-press out of position and linked up with former Werder Bremen striker Fin Bartels on a long-ball. The 33-year-old veteran finished cooly in the 37th to even the score at 1-1.
Bayern went ahead again shortly after the restart. Leroy Sané's venomous conversion of a free kick in the 48th put the favorites ahead 2-1. Alexander Mühling squandered a golden opportunity to equalize at the other end two minutes later. Again, Bayern dominated possession. During the second half, however, they rarely produced anything dangerous.
Sensing that this incarnation of Goliath might be primed for a well-slung rock, Kiel actually appeared the more threatening side as the match wore on. Flick even introduced the hitherto rested Robert Lewandowski in the 74th minute to no avail. An additional 30 minutes would not be confirmed until the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
On what was sure to be the final charge of the match, Johannes van den Bergh threw up a hopeful cross for fellow defender Hauke Wahl. Kiel's captain rose to contest the aerial duel. His timing was nowhere near good enough to get a head on the ball, but he did direct it past Neuer via his shoulder.
Frigid temperatures and fatigue clearly affected the ability of both teams in the two added periods. Bayern still enjoyed the majority of possession, but their hosts defended the middle quite passionately. Flick's men poured forward in the final 15 minutes, only to be stymied on some of the direct duels by their plucky opponents.
The shootout headed to sudden-death after the first five players from both sides converted. In the sixth round, substitute Marc Roca saw his medium height effort parried by the Kiel keeper. The hero was none other than Bartels, who converted to cap the sensation.
