Muller downs Wolfsburg

BAYERN MUNICH eased into the third round of the German Cup yesterday with a 3-1 win at holders VfL Wolfsburg as Germany forward Thomas Muller scored twice.

It was 5-1 when the teams last met four weeks ago after Robert Lewandowski scored all five goals in just nine second half minutes of the Bundesliga rout, but Muller was Wolfsburg’s primary tormentor on this occasion.

Bayern gave last season’s German league runners-up a first-half masterclass in attacking football in the second-round clash as Brazil winger Douglas Costa opened the scoring with a thunderbolt from outside the area on 15 minutes.

Then Muller took full advantage of two superb crosses from leftback David Alaba on 20 and 34 minutes to make it 3-0 at the break.

“That was a superior display from us in the first-half,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm.

The game’s tempo dropped in the second half, but Wolfsburg had the last word when midfielder Maximilian Arnold found Andre Schuerrle in space.

The Germany winger fired his shot past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on 90 minutes, but it was no more than a consolation goal.

“There’s no need to say much about the first half,” grumbled Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking.

“You can’t afford to play like that and if Bayern had scored a couple more goals we would have had no cause for complaint.”

Earlier, two Bundesliga teams suffered embarrassing defeats as Eintracht Frankfurt were humbled 1-0 by third division Erzgebirge Aue and 10-man Mainz crashed out as second division 1860 Munich scored late goals to claim a 2-1 win.

Darmstadt beat Hanover 2-1 in the all-Bundesliga clash with all three goals scored in a frantic five minute spell.

Hertha Berlin needed extra time to seal their 2-1 win over second division FSV Frankfurt as Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou scored both Berlin’s goals. – AFP