Bayer Leverkusen reached the semi-finals of the DFB Cup with a home win against FC St. Pauli.
Leverkusen won 3-0 (1-0). The goals were scored by Martin Terrier (31st), Patrik Schick (63rd) and Jonas Hofmann (90th + 2). The draw for the semi-finals will take place on February 22nd. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 21st and 22nd, the final in Berlin will be played on May 23rd.
“We made it too easy for St. Pauli in the first half. St. Pauli was able to create a lot of situations. With a good performance from us, there will be a lot less burn here.”said Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich on ARD radio and added with a view to the semi-finals. “Each of us really wants to go to Berlin.” Leverkusen’s coach Kasper Hjulmand criticized “a lot of easy ball losses” before the break, “The second half was much better”.
St. Pauli coach Alexander Blessin argued: “We played a really good game in the first half. You had the feeling that we had more of the game. And then we scored from a half-chance – that’s how the tide turned.”
St. Pauli keeps up, but Leverkusen takes the lead
Leverkusen, who recently won three competitive games in a row after a short crisis, started as favorites and quickly gained advantages. In the 16th minute, Patrik Schick had a great chance to make it 1-0, but his shot was cleared off the line by St. Pauli’s Karol Mets. St. Pauli, who haven’t won six games in a row in the Bundesliga, also had their first chance through Joel Fujita, but he shot wide of the goal on the left (23′).
Bayer took the lead in the 31st minute when Martin Terrier was quickest in the penalty area and scored in the confusion to make it 1-0. But St. Pauli didn’t give up and had a great chance to equalize a little later: After a strong combination on the right, Arkadiusz Pyrka played the ball inside, where Martijn Kaars shot the ball just over the goal (40th). His team played well in the first half, said Kaars on ARD radio. “The 1-0 actually came out of nowhere. And then we know that it will be difficult against Bayer Leverkusen. Everything has to get better so that we get enough points.”
Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman in a duel with St. Pauli’s Danel Sinani
Schick increases it to 2-0, Hofmann hits the post
After the break, Schick missed his first chance to make it 2-0 (59′), but then scored the second goal, which was reassuring from Leverkusen’s perspective: Aleix García crossed the ball deep into the penalty area from the right after a short corner, Schick was ready to the left of the goal and scored with his left into the right corner (63′). “Two stupid goals”criticized St. Pauli’s Traner Blessin on ARD radio. “But we can build on a lot when it comes to performance.” Now you need points for the Bundesliga, in which St. Pauli is second to last in the table.
Jonas Hofmann initially missed the decision when he hit the left outside post with a long-range shot in the 75th minute. St. Pauli stayed in the game in the final phase – but couldn’t get close. Hofmann scored in stoppage time after a counterattack on an assist from Alejandro Grimaldo to make it 3-0 (90th + 2).
St. Pauli’s Tomoya Ando looks disappointed after Leverkusen scored
Bayer now in Gladbach, St. Pauli welcomes Stuttgart
Leverkusen’s Bundesliga continues on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) with an away game at Borussia Mönchengladbach, while St. Pauli also welcomes VfB Stuttgart on Saturday (3:30 p.m.). A week later, Leverkusen and St. Pauli meet again in Leverkusen.
