Bayer 04 progress in DFB Cup with 3-0 win

The second round draw will be held on Sunday 20 August on the ARD Sportschau TV sports programme with the teams being picked out by comedian Carolin Kebekus and the Germany U21 coach Stefan Kuntz. "We were dominant and had lots of chances but we simply failed to score the decisive goals in the first 90 minutes," said Heiko Herrlich, "it cost a few nerves but the performance of the team was very good over 120 minutes."

In his first competitive match in charge, the Bayer 04 coach kept faith with the line-up from last Saturday's final pre-season friendly against Celta Vigo. Sven Bender and Jonathan Tah were in central defence and the second new signing Kohr played alongside Kevin Kampl in holding midfield, Karim Bellarabi and Admir Mehmedi were on the wings with Kai Havertz and Kevin Volland up front. Aleksandar Dragovic, Julian Baumgartlinger, Charles Aránguiz, Leon Bailey, Julian Brandt and Joel Pohjanpalo started on the bench. Stefan Kießling was not in the squad and Lars Bender and Tin Jedvaj was sidelined through injury.

80 SeCOndS BEFORE FIRST CHANCE

It was pouring with rain in Karlsruhe and that created conditions that favoured the battling underdogs. Herrlich had called on his players to produce a serious performance – and the Werkself started the match at the Wildpark Stadium with focused determination. And the first chance came on 80 seconds with Bayer 04 on the verge of opening the scoring against a surprised KSC: Volland passed to Bellarabi who raced from the halfway line towards the opposition goal before firing a shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area – a close call indeed. Bellarabi hit a low shot on six minutes but failed to trouble the KSC keeper Benjamin Uphoff. Bayer 04 were lively and were in the game from the kick-off. The hosts did produce one extremely good chance: The referee Hartmann unintentionally interfered with the Werkself build-up giving Oskar Zawada the opportunity to shoot in the Leverkusen box but Bernd Leno pulled off a great save to turn the effort away for a corner on 13 minutes.

A lob from Havertz, after Bellarabi had won the ball, missed its target on 17 minutes. Shortly after that, Tah put the ball over the bar after a flick-on from Sven Bender. Mehmedi skillfully beat two opponents on the left but his right-foot shot failed to find the net at the far post on 24 minutes. Uphoff saved a header from Kohr from a Havertz cross two minutes later. A shot from Bellarabi in the penalty area was blocked off by a Karlsruher player on 38 minutes. Volland was held up, Mehmedi put a shot wide of the near post and Kohr had a shot that went just over the bar on 45 minutes. KSC provided dogged resistance but Bayer 04 retained clear control to produce a large number of good chances. The Werkself had 13 shots on goal in the first half so the 0-0 scoreline at the break was flattering for the hosts.

THREE ATTACKING CHANGES

There were no changes at half-time and it was business as usual after the restart. The Werkself continue to press forward and create chances. Uphoff turned a low drive from Wendell to the near post away from a corner on 50 minutes. Herrlich made the first change on 66 minutes: Pohjanpalo replace Havertz. Bellarabi was brought down in the box, there was contact but no penalty award. Straight after that followed the next change with Brandt and Bailey replacing Bellarabi and Mehmedi. And Bailey proved to be a threat from the start putting Volland through with an excellent pass but his shot with his weaker right foot went over the target on 70 minutes – no return once again from a promising position.
Brandt also came to shoot but his low drive did not prove to be a major problem for Uphoff on 84 minutes. The 90 minutes ended with Bayer 04 pinning back KSC in their own penalty area as they sought to find the decisive goal. A long-range effort from core was tipped over the bar by Uphoff as it headed towards the top corner on 89 minutes. The best chance fell to 'Danger' Pohjanpalo after great work down the right by Bailey but the Finland international put the ball wide of the upright. KSC were now on the ropes but were able to survive into extra-time.

Kohr USES HIS HEAD

With three minutes gone in extra-time, the Werkself were finally rewarded with the opening goal: Kohr powered a header into the roof of the net from a Brandt free kick on 93 minutes. Bayer 04 immediately pressed for a second and decisive strike: Pohjanpalo hit a low shot with the outside of his foot from the right into the net on 99 minutes. The most efficient goalscorer from the Bundesliga last term certainly lived up to his name. The scoring was rounded off with Leon Bailey netting his first goal for Bayer 04 after a neat one-two with Brandt on 105 minutes. Everything was going right at this point and Herrlich's substitutions proved to be a great success.

Aránguiz came off the bench in place of Volland as the fourth substitution in extra-time to get some match practice. Leno did produce one impressive save from Marc Lorenz on 116 minutes. And Pohjanpalo missed the chance to make it 4-0 and double his own tally as Uphoff saved again with two minutes left.

Bayer 04 are next in action in the opening match of the new Bundesliga campaign: The Werkself are away to titleholders FC Bayern Munich in the season opener on Friday 18 August. The match at the Allianz Arena kicks off at 20.30 CET.

Match stats:
Karlsruher SC: Uphoff – Camoglu, Stoll, Pisot, Siebeck – Muslija (Luibrand 96’), Wanitzek (Hofmann 83’), Bülow, Lorenz – Fink (Vujinovic 108’), Zawada (Schleusener 71’)
Bayer 04: Leno – Henrichs, Tah, S. Bender, Wendell – Kohr, Kampl – Bellarabi (Bailey 72’), Mehmedi (Brandt 72’) – Havertz (Pohjanpalo 66’), Volland (Aránguiz 106’)
Goals: 0-1 Kohr (93'), 0-2 Pohjanpalo (99'), 0-3 Bailey (105')
Referee: Hartmann (Wangen)

Booked: Wendell, Henrichs
Attendance: 17,073