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Xhaka scores as 10-Man Leverkusen lift German Cup for historic double
Granit Xhaka scored the decisive goal as 10-man Bayer Leverkusen triumphed over Kaiserslautern 1-0 to win the German Cup in Berlin on Saturday, securing the club’s first league-cup double.
Having clinched the Bundesliga title in mid-April, Leverkusen faced a tough challenge against their second-division opponents, playing a man down after Odilon Kossounou received a second yellow card late in the first half.
Xhaka’s 16th-minute goal, a stunning long-range strike with his left foot, proved to be the difference. Leverkusen rebounded from Wednesday’s Europa League final loss to Atalanta, which ended their season-long unbeaten run at 51 games and dashed their treble hopes.
“To win like that at the end, we showed our team spirit. We fought hard, we did it for everyone, the fans, the club,” Xabi Alonso told Germany’s ARD. “To achieve the double, it’s been a great season.”
Kaiserslautern, four-time German champions marooned in the lower leagues since 2012, aimed to become the second club from outside the top division to lift the Cup, following Hannover in 1992. They narrowly avoided relegation to the third league this season and only faced one top-division club on the way to the final — the since-relegated Cologne.
Kossounou, excluded from Wednesday’s loss in Dublin, returned to the starting lineup but received a yellow card just two minutes in for a heavy challenge on Kenny Prince Redondo. Leverkusen took the lead after 16 minutes, with Xhaka’s long-range blast from outside the penalty area.
Kaiserslautern nearly capitalized on their numerical advantage just after the red card when Tobias Raschl’s shot narrowly missed the post. Kossounou’s early yellow proved decisive as he was sent off after a second booking in the 44th minute.
Alonso, visibly distressed after Kossounou’s dismissal, made two halftime substitutions, replacing striker Patrik Schick and winger Jonas Hofmann with defensive reinforcements.
Despite the fervent support from travelling fans who unfurled a giant Red Devil mascot banner before kickoff, Kaiserslautern lacked the quality to break down Leverkusen. Alonso’s side, known for their attacking prowess, opted for a defensive strategy in the second half, seeking to counterattack.
In an effort to manage the game’s pace, Alonso even halted his own team’s counterattack by physically stopping Florian Wirtz from taking a quick throw-in. Leverkusen held on to secure another piece of silverware this season, doubling the trophy count in the club’s history, having previously won the German Cup in 1993 and the 1988 UEFA Cup.
The final was notably the first since 2012 not to feature Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, or RB Leipzig, clubs that have collectively won 27 German Cups.
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