DFB Cup Quarterfinals
The big favorite RB Leipzig easily reached the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. After a strong performance, the Saxons won 4-0 (2-0) at second division side Hannover 96 on Wednesday evening and are now only two wins away from winning the first title in the club’s young history. Christopher Nkunku (24, photo) scored in the 17th and 22nd minute in front of 25,000 spectators for the fourth-placed Bundesliga team. After the break, Konrad Laimer (67th) and André Silva (73rd) scored for the 2019 and 2021 cup finalists.
Cup fever had previously broken out in Hanover. The 96 team bus was greeted by hundreds of fans at the stadium – Hannover had last reached a quarter-final 15 years ago. In addition, the club entered a larger stage for the first time after a sporting decline that had lasted for more than three years. The atmosphere at the beginning of the game was correspondingly euphoric: Christoph Dabrowski’s team only played openly in the opening minutes.
Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco had rotated a lot compared to 1-0 on Sunday in Bochum. With seven new players in the starting XI, the Bundesliga side gained the necessary security after just 15 minutes. A good switching moment was enough for the lead. Dani Olmo played a simple pass to Nkunku, who was able to beat the passive Hannover defense too easily and scored.
With Lakic, Kießling & Co.: The top scorers in the DFB Cup since 2000
1999/2000: Adnan Kevric – 8 goals in 6 games for Stuttgarter Kickers
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2000/2001: Arie van Lent – 6 goals in 5 games for Borussia Mönchengladbach
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2001/2002: Dimitar Berbatov – 6 goals in 6 games for Bayer 04
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2002/2003: Giovane Elber – 6 goals in 6 games for Bayern Munich
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2003/2004: Ivan Klasnic & Aílton – 6 goals in 6 games for Werder Bremen
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2004/2005: Carsten Jancker – 6 goals in 1 game for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
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*Claudio Pizarro scored 6 goals for Bayern Munich (in 5 games)
2005/2006: Claudio Pizarro – 5 goals in 5 games for Bayern Munich
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2006/2007: Cacau – 5 goals in 6 games for VfB Stuttgart
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2007/2008: Mario Gómez – 6 goals in 3 games for VfB Stuttgart
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2008/2009: Edin Dzeko – 6 goals in 2 games for VfL Wolfsburg
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*Ivica Olic also scored 6 goals for HSV (in 5 games)
2009/2010: Lucas Barrios – 4 goals in 3 games for Borussia Dortmund
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*Sahr Senesie also scored 4 goals for Eintracht Trier (in 3 games)
Thomas Müller also scored 4 goals for Bayern Munich (in 6 games)
2010/2011: Srdjan Lakic – 7 goals in 4 games for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
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2011/2012: Robert Lewandowski – 7 goals in 6 games for Borussia Dortmund
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2012/2013: Mario Gómez – 6 goals in 4 games for Bayern Munich
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2013/2014: Thomas Müller – 8 goals in 5 games for Bayern Munich
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2014/2015: Stefan Kießling – 6 goals in 4 games for Bayer 04
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*Sven Schipplock also scored 6 goals for TSG Hoffenheim (in 4 games)
2015/2016: Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 5 goals in 6 games for Borussia Dortmund
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2016/2017: Robert Lewandowski – 5 goals in 4 games for Bayern Munich
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2017/2018: Robert Lewandowski – 6 goals in 6 games for Bayern Munich
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2018/2019: Robert Lewandowski – 7 goals in 5 games for Bayern Munich
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2019/2020: Robert Lewandowski – 6 goals in 5 games for Bayern Munich
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2020/2021: Jadon Sancho – 6 goals in 6 games for Borussia Dortmund
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Just a few minutes later, after winning a duel in midfield, Josko Gvardiol played a strong pass to Nkunku, who quickly passed 96 goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and hit the empty goal. As the game progressed, the class difference became even clearer. There was not much to see from the Hanoverian upswing in the 2nd division with seven points from three games. Benjamin Henrichs missed the big chance to make it 3-0 (43rd minute) just before the break, and RB managed the game cleverly after the break.
The Hanover fans continued to cheer their team on with their voices, but the second division team didn’t create many more opportunities. But the Leipzig: First Laimer met after a short, quick combination and then Silva.
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