England - The Next Opponent

England made it through group play while surrendering only one goal.  Since the knockout stage began, they’ve posted clean sheets against Cameroon and Norway.  While that is true, it may also be irrelevant.  Take Germany, for instance.  When Germany entered the quarterfinal against Sweden, they had not given up a goal in the tournament.  Yet, Sweden managed to score twice and won the game, knocking the Germans out of the tournament.  But England is not to be taken lightly.  They dismantled Norway in the quarterfinal without any problem.  They had some struggles in group play, but against Norway they played what is unarguably their best game of the World Cup tournament.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Lionesses?

Strengths

1.      They start fast.  Four of their eleven goals have come before the 15th minute. The only game in which England has not scored a first half goal was a 1-0 win over Argentina. They attack through the right side with Lucy Bronze charging forward from right back and linking with Nikita Parris in particular. Crystal Dunn and Kelley O’Hara need a similar effort against England that they had against France.  Midfielder Jill Scott is another that presents a clear and present danger to the U.S. with her well-timed runs into the penalty box.  Ellen White has scored as many goals as both Alex Morgan [who hasn’t scored since the first game against Thailand] and Megan Rapinoe.

2.      Depth.  Coach Phil Neville has a group that has competition in every single position.  He likes to start different lineups every game.  Those that don’t start come off the bench with a chip on their shoulders.  With an ever-changing starting lineup, that makes it hard for opponents to make a good game plan.

3.      Controlling possession.  England have dominated the ball in most of the games they have played in France and possess a comfort in possession.  32-year-old Jill Scott’s experience is key to this style of play.  At 5’11”, she dictates the tempo.   While controlling possession is a key indicator on the outcome of any game, it isn’t absolute.  The US had possession of the ball on forty percent of the game against France, yet they won 2-1.  For every rule, there is an exception.

Weaknesses

1.      Defense.   England doesn’t have many weaknesses, but their defense is somewhat suspect. England’s defenders are so involved in attacking and scoring, but having their defenders so far forward leaves them vulnerable to the counterattack.  As Sweden did to Germany, England is vulnerable to the long ball.  England’s defense is mistake-prone.  Despite their clean sheets against Japan and Argentina, England’s lapses on defense, especially in the second half, gave both teams opportunities to score – they just didn’t cash in.  Their clean sheets against those teams had more to do with their opponents’ inability to capitalize on England’s defensive lapses rather than their own skill in defending. Another lapse against Scotland turned a comfortable 2-0 lead into a 2-1 nail-biter.  England’s defenders are also vulnerable to speedy attackers.  Also, they get caught “ball watching” rather than marking their assignments.

2.      Not closing the deal.  England can control possession, but thus far they haven’t turned that possession advantage into goals. They aren’t as ruthless as they could be.  If they discover a killer instinct that they haven’t displayed yet, the US could be in trouble.

The US and England met earlier this year in the SheBelieves Cup.  The two sides played to a 2-2 draw, with England winning the four-team round-robin tournament.  The teams are no strangers to each other.  Despite their struggles in group play, England finally put it all together against Norway.  I expect that consistency to continue, but if the Americans get off to a fast start as is their wont, the Lionesses could fall back into bad habits.  I expect a good game.

Auf Wiedersehen, Germany

During the pre-game show, much was made of Sweden's futility against Germany since 1995. Somebody forgot to tell Sweden that they were "destined" to lose today.  There's an old NFL saying that "defense wins championships".  Sweden's defense was stellar today.  Germany's defense was not.  Germany had not surrendered a single goal throughout the World Cup tournament, but today Sweden cracked the code and scored twice.  As the clock ticked toward 90 minutes, Germany needed a miracle to survive.  They didn't get one.

How did Sweden "crack the code"?  It was the long ball.  Things began promisingly enough for Germany.  Lina Magull gave Germany the lead in the 16th minute after a great finish from a typically fast and direct German attack. But only six minutes later Germany's defense let them down when Linda Sembrant launched a long ball downfield.  Sweden's Sofia Jakobsson outran two German defenders to catch up to the ball, and lo and behold she was one-on-one with German goalie Almuth Schult.  Jakobsson didn't waste the opportunity, shooting past Schult and grabbing the equalizer for Sweden.  Suddenly Germany looked dazed and confused.  The score was tied 1-1 at the half.

This was a very entertaining game.  Both sides were getting up and down the field and attacking in numbers.  This game was played end-to-end, but Sweden's front line were more athletic than was Germany's backline.  Germany has world-class attackers, but inexperienced defenders.  Only two minutes after the second half began, a header toward the far post from Fridolina Rolfo was saved well by Schult, but she couldn't control the rebound.  Stina Blackstenius found the ball at her feet and an empty net in front of her,  Sweden led 2-1.  The Germans look rattled, and that didn't change for the rest of the game.  To these eyes, it also looked like the Swedes handled the scorching heat better than the Germans.

The Germans tried to mount a comeback.  Twice they had shots come tantalizingly close.  Both times they here headers that sailed just over the crossbar.  The chances were there, but Germany failed to capitalize.  Despite getting six extra minutes of stoppage time, Germany couldn't find that tying goal to force extra time.  Given the 90 degree heat, it's just as well the game didn't go to extra time.  The Swedes appeared to have more gas in the tank.  They were the better team.

Sweden now face the current European champions from the Netherlands in the semi-final.  The winner faces the winner of the US/England semi-final.

Megan Rapinoe 2, France 1

There they were, in the belly of the beast.  The defending champions faced off against the host country, roughly 30,000 screaming Parisians (lots of Americans were there, too) and 90 degree heat.  The Americans came off an unconvincing win against Spain. Pressure? What pressure? Spain gave France the game plan - play rough with the Americans. But France had a different plan - kill the Americans with speed.

The French have some very fast players - winger Kadidiatou Diani, left-back Amel Majri (whose natural position is midfield), and center-forward Valérie Gauvin (Diani's favorite target).  Opposing Diani would be Crystal Dunn, who would like to forget the game she had against Spain. On the other side of the field was Kelley O'Hara. The American defenders were slower than the French attackers, but both Dunn and O'Hara bent but did not break.  The Americans didn't deliberately play an offside trap, but it sure seemed that way as the French were caught offside several times.

Megan Rapinoe had other ideas.  She ran the French right flank ragged.  Her play on the left flank opened up opportunities for the Americans in the middle.  Alex Morgan was a non- factor against Spain. Having a fullback draped all over you for an entire match will do that.  But today was a different story. French defender Griedge Mbock Bathy, who saved an all but certain goal against Brazil, got caught in a footrace with Alex Morgan early in the first half and lost.  Knowing she was beaten, she dragged Morgan to the turf, resulting in an American free kick. Rapinoe took the free kick, which went through a lot of legs (both French and American) and found the back of the net.  The Americans led after only five minutes, 1-0.

The rest of the first half was entertaining to watch.  It was end-to-end until halftime. One would think given the intense heat and the physical game against Spain would put the Americans at a disadvantage.  But several American players play their club football in places like Orlando and Houston. They're used to oppressive heat.

Both teams got off to a fast start in the second half.  Exactly an hour after her first goal, Megan Rapinoe scored her second.  Alex Morgan once again was a factor. After an unforced error by France and the resulting throw in, Morgan found a streaking Tobin Heath sprinting down the French left side.  Heath got deep into the French penalty area and made a cross to Megan Rapinoe, who buried it. The Americans led 2-0.

At the 80th minute Kelley O'Hara committed a hard foul on French team captain Amadine Henry, the heroine in France's victory over Brazil.  O'Hara's foul resulted in a French free kick. French defender Wendi Renard, at 6'2" the tallest player in the tournament, head the ball home and drew France to within one goal (2-1).  But it wasn't enough. While the French tried to make it all the way back, the Americans were effective at killing the clock. One of the match commentators made a very telling comment she attributed to US coach Jill Ellis - “France doesn’t want the ball”.  Accordingly, after the US took the 2-0 lead they switched to a 5-4-1 formation. They packed in the defense and they let France have the ball. I was critical of Ellis after not making any tactical switches in the game against Spain, but her switch to the 5-4-1 was very smart.  France had no answers, although they controlled possession 60-40.

Megan Rapinoe was the star of the game (again), but credit must be given to the American defenders.  Their defense was exceptional. Take a bow, Crystal Dunn.

Megan Rapinoe is brash, she's outspoken, but like a good team captain her play has been sterling.  She has been the American offense, scoring four goals in the last two games. Rapinoe is the first woman to ever score two goals in two consecutive knockout games.  Right now it's Megan's world and we're just living in it. Color me "impressed".

Up next on Tuesday in Lyon - England.

USWNT can be beaten today

I watched the USWNT against Spain the other day.  The US women learned something - Spain isn't Thailand.  If the US could throw a punch, Spain could hit back. The US took the lead on a penalty kick, then a brain fart by the US goalie promptly gave up that lead.  The US kept the ball for 61 percent of the first half, but that possession dominance didn't turn into any goals.

Spain did what no other opponent did during this World Cup - they made the US nervous.  The Spaniards committed 17 fouls during the course of the game. By comparison, Thailand committed only 5, and the 13-0 result speaks for itself.  Like Brazil against France, they played tough, but not dirty. They attacked on defense, especially in the Americans' half of the field. In the second half, Spain reversed the US possession dominance.  By the end of the game, the US still had more possession time (54-46). Compared to that first half (61-39), that tells me Spain had it a lot more in the second half.

Spain shut down Alex Morgan, who hasn't scored since that annihilation of Thailand.  The US took 12 shots the entire game, only three of which were on target. Other than Megan Rapinoe's two penalty kicks, Spain's goalie had a quiet day at the office.  The second penalty was dubious. Yes, Rose Lavell was tripped - she definitely did NOT take a dive. She was not in a position to score - not even close. But since the foul on her happened in the penalty area, FIFA's rules are such that the US was awarded a penalty.  That was the difference in the game.

US coach Jill Ellis didn't make any tactical changes during the entire game.  In this game, Spain brought the game to the US. And the US just let it happen. The Spaniards seemed to swarm the US half of the field in the second half.  The US defense bent, but to their credit did not break. The Americans demonstrated they could take a punch. If they are to beat France today, the US needs to dictate the play.  If they let France play the way Spain did, the US team won't have to worry about a White House visit.

This Weekend in the Women's World Cup

Group play in the Women’s World Cup is over.  Now the tournament is in the knockout stage.  It is literally “win or go home” time for everybody.  There were four Round of 16 games played this weekend in the Women’s World Cup.  I saw the Saturday games live, but I slept in on Sunday, knowing that those games were being recorded.  DVR is such a wonderful device. 😊 The Video Assistant Referee [VAR] didn’t play a part in Saturday’s games, but Sunday’s games are another story.  More on that later.

The first game on Saturday was Germany vs. Nigeria.  It was a controversy-free game as Germany cruised to a 3-0 victory.  They have yet to allow a goal in the tournament.  They’re currently the world’s #2 ranked team, behind the United States.  They await the winner of Sweden vs. Canada.  The most entertaining game of the weekend came in the afternoon, with Norway vs. Australia.  Like the Germany/Nigeria game, this game was fairly free of controversy.  VAR allowed the referee to overturn one call [correctly, I might add].  But more on that later.  In the opening minute the Australians threatened early. 

Australian forward Sam Kerr took a pass from Caitlin Foord and raced along the left side, beating her defender.  But, her shot on goal went left, barely.  The game’s first goal didn’t come until the half-hour point.  Norwegian forward Karina Saevik found forward Isabell Herlovsen, who right footed a shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner.  Things remained thus until just before halftime.  A ball bounced off Norwegian defender Maria Thorisdottir's right shoulder in Australia’s penalty area.  The referee awarded Australia a penalty.  Sam Kerr placed the ball on the spot ready to take the penalty shot, and then came the VAR.  And the players and the spectators waited. and waited some more.  Upon further review, Thorisdottir had her right arm tucked into her side.  No penalty.  The score at halftime had Norway ahead, 1-0.

The score remained 1-0 until seven minutes from the end of regulation.  Australian midfielder   Elise Kellond-Knight scored on a corner kick to equalize.  The Australians were still alive.  At the end of regulation, the score was tied 1-1.  Under FIFA rules, there were two be two extra fifteen-minute periods.  There is no ‘golden goal’ in the World Cup.  If after the two extra periods and the score is still tied, then it’s on to penalty kicks.  Despite the extra time, the play was at a furious pace on both ends.  Australian goalie Lydia Williams seemed like she was singlehandedly keeping Australia in the game, She blocked shot after Norwegian shot.  She came up limping after one play.  I wondered how that would affect her if the game went to penalty kicks.  Australian defender Alanna Kennedy received a straight red card in the first extra period and was sent off.  Norway couldn’t capitalize on the one-person advantage, so the game ended 1-1.  It was on to penalty kicks.

Caroline Graham-Hanson took the first shot for Norway.  She made it look easy.  Sam Kerr took the first shot for the Australians.  Until this time, she hadn’t had a bad game, but she didn’t have a particularly good one either.  She took her shot and it ended up in the seats behind goal.   Norway ahead on PK 1-0.   Guro Reiten was up next for Norway.  She made it look as easy as Graham-Hanson.  Emily Gielnick for Australia was next.  She took her shot to the left, but Norwegian goalie Ingrid Hjelmseth guessed right and made the save.  Norway was up 2-0.  Norway’s Marin Mjelde stepped up and made it 3-0.  As the late Stuart Scott would say, the Norwegians were “as cool as the other side of the pillow.”  Australian Steph Catley needed to score to keep Australia in the World Cup, and she did just that for a couple of minutes.  Norwegian Ingrid Ergen stepped up and scored.  There was no need for a fifth penalty shot since Australia missed twice.  Norway won the PK shootout 4-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals.  They meet the winner of the England/Cameroon game on Sunday.

The England/Cameroon match was chaotic, and things got very ugly.  The first goal came at 14 minutes.  In something one doesn’t see very often, England were awarded an indirect free kick about six yards from goal because of a back pass to Cameroon’s goalie [it didn’t look deliberate to me].  Cameroon had almost everyone on the goal line.  But England’s Toni Duggan passed the ball to English captain Steph Houghton, who curled a low shot into the bottom right corner.  England led 1-0.  England dominated play in the first half.  Seven minutes of stoppage time was tacked onto the end of the second half.  Four minutes in, Ellen White scored the second goal for England.  The referee waved it off for offside.  Out came the VAR, and the ruling was overturned.  Cameroon players were furious. They argued that Toni Duggan was in an offside position for the goal [she was], but she clearly wasn't interfering with play. They acted like they didn’t want to resume play.  They did, finally, but the referee blew the whistle for halftime.  England led 2-0 at the break.  Cameroon players and coaching staff accused the match officials and FIFA of racism as they left the field at half time.

When play resumed after the half, Cameroon players were still furious.  Ajara Nchout scored three minutes into the second half to bring Cameroon back into the game.  However, VAR came out and the referee ruled Cameroon was offside and the goal was disallowed.  It looked like a clean goal to me, and the person called for being offside wasn’t nearly as egregious what Toni Duggan had done [and was allowed] in the first half.  More fury from Cameroon ensued.  At 55 minutes Alex Greenwood scored a textbook goal after a corner kick, giving England the lead 3-0. Then things got uglier.

Cameroon players committed some bad fouls.  Elbows were thrown, players were spit on.  At 10 minutes into stoppage time Cameroon substitute Alexandra Takounda made a brutal challenge on Steph Houghton painfully high on the ankle [studs up].  It should have been a red card, but the referee only booked her with a yellow card.  This was not a fun game to watch.  As a result of England’s trouble, they get to play Norway in the quarterfinal.

France vs. Brazil promised to be just as hard-fought, but more entertaining.  It wasn’t a pretty game.  It was tough, but it had none of the chaos from the England/Cameroon game.  Neither team played exceptionally well, which was a disappointment.  Brazil had more movement with the ball as is their wont.  This was going to be one of those games where the winner was going to have to grind it out, and that’s what came to pass.

In the 23d minute French forward Valérie Gauvin scored what appeared to be the opening goal.  She and Brazilian goalie Barbara collided, both she and Gauvin went to the ground and stayed there for a while.  Meanwhile, the VAR reared its head.  Upon further review, the referee determined Bárbara had possession of the ball and disallowed the goal.  I saw the same replay the referee did.  It was a bullshit call.  Bárbara never had possession.  The ball was slipping though her hands when it bounced off Gauvin’s shoulder and into the goal.  But they don’t pay me to referee the games, and play continued until halftime, where the score was 0-0.

In the 52^nd minute French forward Kadidiatou Diani drove deep into Brazilian territory, fired a cross toward the Brazilian goal, where Gauvin capitalized and scored what should have been her second goal.  France led 1-0.  In the 63^rd minute Thaisa equalized for Brazil.  At first the referee waived off the goal.  The assistant referee called Brazil offside, but upon further review Brazil was not offside.  The goal counted, and the score was tied 1-1.  In the 85^th minute Brazilian defender Tamires put the ball in the net in the 86th minute.  But the goal was immediately disallowed because three Brazilians were clearly offside.  France had dodged a bullet.

Things got very exciting in extra time.  At the 105^th minute France got a real scare when Brazil’s Debinha was all alone and took a long pass from Brazilian forward Geyse.  She had the defender beat, and she had French goalie Sarah Bouhaddi beat as well.  But French defender Griedge Mbock Bathy kept her composure and deflected what was a wide-open shot from Debinha. The first 15-minute extra period ended without another goal.  Almost immediately after the second extra period commenced, Brazil committed foul [one of many in this game] and France was awarded a free kick.  Delphine Cascarino, who substituted on for Valérie Gauvin before extra time, fired the free kick into the Brazilian penalty area.  French captain Amadine Henry broke free and put the ball in the back of the Brazilian net.  France led 2-1.  Brazil pressed but couldn’t equalize.  The game ended with France on top, 2-1.  This game would not go to penalty kicks.

Tony’s take – Brazil committed more than their share of fouls to slow down the French.  I’m surprised they received only four yellow cards.  It should have been more.  They didn’t play dirty, but they did play rough.  France deserved the win.  They showed mental toughness despite the VAR going against them in the first half.  They’re the host country this year, so there’s a bit more pressure for them to do well, if not win it all.  Brazil looked like they were running out of gas in the second extra period.  It should never have gone to extra time.  The French await the winner of the USA/Spain game.

Welcome to the Bundesliga - 1. FC Union Berlin

24 May 2019

At the end of every Bundesliga, there is a playoff in which no first division team wants to participate.  That playoff is the relegation playoff.  Whenever a Bundesliga season is done, the bottom two teams are automatically demoted [“relegated”] to the Bundesliga’s second division.  That is similar to the English Premier League.  The EPL automatically relegates the bottom three finishers.  Herein lies the difference with the Bundesliga.  The Bundesliga throws a lifeline to the third-worst finishing team in the first division.  That team [this year it’s Stuttgart] participates in a two-game home-and-away playoff with the third-place finisher from the Bundesliga’s second division [this year it’s Union Berlin].  Usually the team that fights to stay in the first division succeeds.  The last second-division team to earn promotion to the first division came in 2012 when Fortuna Düsseldorf beat Hertha Berlin.

The relegation playoff format is simple.  Whichever team has the most goals on aggregate from the two games wins.  In case there is a tie for aggregate goals, the first tie-breaker is the “away goal” rule.  Whoever scores the most goals away from home wins.  If the two teams are still deadlocked, then they play two fifteen-minute periods.  There is no sudden-death “golden goal” like what one sees in the National Hockey League.  If neither team scores during the two extra periods, then it’s on to penalty kicks.  Each team has five turns.  The participants must be among those players who were on the field when the referee blows the final whistle.  If, after each team has attempted its five PKs and the score is still tied, then the teams attempt PKs until somebody wins by one.

The first game of this year’s relegation playoff was in Stuttgart.  It looked as if both teams would fight to a scoreless draw by halftime.  At the 41-minute mark, Stuttgart broke the ice by getting on the board first.  The home side fans didn’t have long to celebrate their team’s lead because Union Berlin evened the scored immediately following the kickoff after Stuttgart’s goal.  At halftime the score was 1-1.  Stuttgart made one halftime substitution by bringing on former German international Mario Gómez. Gómez made the Stuttgart coach look brilliant by putting Stuttgart ahead at the fifty-one-minute mark.  The goal was a very lucky goal – Gómez outran two Union Berlin defenders, and his shot deflected off one Union player’s foot and another Union player’s face before it got by the goalie and found the back of the net.  Stuttgart fans had more to celebrate.  But like in the first half, Union Berlin tied the score, 2-2.  That’s where it ended when the referee’s whistle blew. The body language from the Stuttgart players sent the same message – “we’re screwed”.  On the Union Berlin side of the field there were smiles all around.  They got two goals away from home.  That’s a huge advantage for them going into the second game that will be played in their yard.  If they get a 0-0 or 1-1 result in the second game, they get promoted to the first division for next season.  If Stuttgart wins in Berlin 1-0 or better, they stay in the first division.

27 May 2019

The second leg of the relegation playoff took place in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, located in Köpenick on the southeast outskirts of the German capital. This stadium has been in existence in one form or another since 1920.  With a capacity of just over 22,000, An der Alten Försterei is smaller than the smallest Bundesliga venue in Freiburg, the Schwarzwald-Stadion (capacity 24,000).  The place was packed, the atmosphere electric with the Union Berlin supporters in full voice.  They sang and clapped for the entire game. The team’s roots go back to the days of East Germany, the supporters of whom were part of East Germany’s trade unions [hence the team’s name].

When the two teams faced off today, Union Berlin needed only a draw against Stuttgart to win promotion to the first division.  In the first half, they played like it.  Stuttgart controlled the ball for most of the first half, and played in Union’s end for the better part of the first half.  Stuttgart nearly got on the board in just three minutes as they barely missed converting a corner kick.  At 8:33 Stuttgart left-back Dennis Aogo planted a free kick into the far-left corner of Union’s net.  It was not to be.  Stuttgart forward Nicolás González was standing in an offside position in front of Union’s goalie Rafal Gikiewicz and blocked his vision.  The offside call was very clear.  The match commentator was sure of the call before the referee went to the video assisted replay [VAR].  Sure enough, the goal was disallowed.  It was definitely the correct decision.  It was a beautiful strike that was wasted.

As befitting the desperation of a relegation playoff, bodies from both sides were flying everywhere. There was much contact between the heads of Union and Stuttgart players. Two Stuttgart players, defender Holger Badstuber and defender Ozan Kabak, played 70 minutes with their heads in bandages.  Badstuber was a bloody mess by the time the referee blew the final whistle. Both Badstuber and Kabak are going to be feeling it tomorrow morning.  How strict is the DFB’s concussion protocol, anyway?

The first half ended in a goalless draw.  So far, the aggregate total worked in Union’s favor.  As in the first game, Stuttgart brought Mario Gómez off the bench for added scoring power.  Stuttgart hoped Gómez would repeat his goal-scoring performance from the first game [he didn’t].  Union played with more pace than they had during the first half. Union forward Suleiman Abdullahi [on loan from Eintracht Braunschweig] struck the woodwork of Stuttgart’s goal twice [at 64” and 66”], but both times he got an unlucky bounce.  Still it was a goalless draw.  Time was on Union’s side.  Stuttgart need one goal to stay alive in the first division.  They almost got it when Benjamin Pavard [bound for Bayern Munich next season] launched a rocket toward Union’s goal in the game’s closing stages, only to be swatted away by Gikiewicz.  Stuttgart’s goal never came.  After a little more than five minutes of stoppage time, the referee blew the whistle.  The score at the end of the game was as it started, 0-0.  Stuttgart were relegated to the second division, the first time since suffering that fate in 2016.  Don’t cry for Stuttgart.  According to the match commentators, this season has been Stuttgart’s worst statistically.  They earned their relegation.

And what of Union Berlin?  For the first time in the club’s history, they earned promotion to the first division.  Berlin now has two teams in the first division, the other being Hertha BSC.  Since unification in 1990, there has been an invisible wall between East German and West German teams.  Dynamo Dresden and Hansa Rostock entered the first division of the Bundesliga after the dissolution of the DDR-Oberliga.  Rostock have been up and down, played 12 seasons in the top division, but they currently dwell in 3. Liga [the third division].  Dresden played in the top division for 4 years.  They have had their ups and downs as well, drifting between 2. Bundesliga and the Regionalliga [the fourth division].  They currently play in 2. Bundesliga.  FC Energie Cottbus played in the top division for six years. VfB Leipzig played just one season in the top division [1993-94].  The eastern German teams haven’t attracted partnerships from large companies like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund [or ironically, Stuttgart].  

The Double

Bayern Munich hadn’t exactly covered themselves in glory on their road to the DFB-Pokal final.  I had the opportunity to watch their quarterfinal match against second-division team Heidenheim.  The game started out well enough for Bayern with Leon Goretzka scoring in the twelfth minute.  But shortly thereafter, Niklas Süle was shown the red card for a tackle he made in the Bayern penalty area.  Bayern would have to play the rest of the game with only ten men.  Heidenheim's Robert Glatzel and Marc Schnatterer later scored to give Heidenheim the 2-1 lead at halftime.  Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry each scored for Bayern after halftime to make the score 4-2.  Glatzel scored twice more to even the score, which made things a little too interesting for the comfort of Bayern’s fans.  Serge Gnabry almost made it 5-4, but his shot on goal hit the crossbar.  In the game’s waning moments, Heidenheim committed a handball, and Robert Lewandowski converted the resulting penalty kick to make the score 5-4.

Bayern’s DFB-Pokal semi-final opponent was Werder Bremen at Bremen’s Weser-Stadion.  Bayern seemed to have this match under control.  Robert Lewandowski scored in the first half, Thomas Müller scored midway through the second half.  Suddenly, Werder scored two goals in quick succession - Yuya Osako at 74’, then Milot Rashica one minute later.  Scored tied 2-2.  Werder was putting up a spirited defense for the home crowd, but their euphoria soon turned to fury when Kingsley Coman and Theodor Gebre Selassie collided in Bremen's penalty area.  From my vantage point, there was no way Coman was going to catch up to the ball headed toward Bremen goalie Jiri Pavlenka, but the referee awarded a penalty to Bayern.  The referee didn’t bother to check VAR, which made the home side and their fans furious.  Bayern got a gift from the referee, and I say that as a Bayern fan.  I didn’t think it was a penalty, but my opinion doesn’t count.  For the second week in a row, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty that ultimately won the game for Bayern.  Bayern were on their way to the DFB-Pokal.  You can win pretty or you can win ugly, the final result still counts the same.

RB Leipzig had some trouble, but not as much as Bayern, in reaching the DFB-Pokal final.  Leipzig had to work pretty hard in the quarterfinal against Augsburg.  Neither team got on the scoreboard until the 74^th minute when Leipzig striker Timo Werner scored.  Leipzig appeared to be heading for the semi-final date when Augsburg’s Alfred Finnbogason [a scoring machine when he’s healthy] scored on a desperate shot three minutes into stoppage time.  Since this was a knockout-stage game, Augsburg and Leipzig played two tense but scoreless fifteen-minute periods, but the game ended with a twist.  Augsburg’s Michael Gregoritsch was called for a handball inside Augsburg’s penalty are four minutes into stoppage time.  Leipzig’s Marcel Halstenberg converted the resultant penalty kick and Leipzig were on their way to the semi-final.  Their semi-final opponent was second-division team Hamburg. Until the end of last season, Hamburg had been the only team to have been in the first division of the Bundesliga since its formation.  But after tempting fate for too many seasons for their fans’ liking, Hamburg were finally relegated after last season.  But they seemed to rediscover their form by making it all the way to the semi-final.  Once there, however, RB Leipzig proved to be too tough for them. Leipzig won, 3-1. 

For the first time since he left the game against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Matchday 29 with a calf injury [six weeks], Manuel Neuer started in goal instead of Sven Ulreich.  I was concerned [as was he] that he didn’t have a match under his belt prior to the DFB-Pokal final so he could shake off any rust.  Neither of us needn’t have worried.  At eleven minutes into the game, Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen headed a ball toward goal from a corner kick at point-blank range.  Neuer got a glove on it on sheer reflex and it hit the crossbar.  It was a “how did he do that” moment.  Neuer had another such moment in the second half.  Three minutes after the second half began, Neuer found himself being the only thing between his own goal and Leipzig midfielder Emil Forsberg.  Forsberg took a great ball from Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate.  Finding himself one-on-one with Forsberg, Neuer reminded us of why he was once considered one of the best goalies in the world.  He deflected Forsberg’s ball first with his leg and then his arm, resulting in a corner kick for Leipzig.  Ever since he broke his foot against Real Madrid two seasons ago, Neuer has not been the dominant stopper that Bayern Munich [or the German National Team] needs.  But on this day, he was the Neuer of old.  Leipzig had their chances but could not capitalize.

After last week’s 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt to win the Bundesliga, Bayern set their sights on completing the “domestic double.  But Leipzig dominated much of the opening half hour, creating one clear-cut chance [Poulsen’s].  But at 29’, Robert Lewandowski made a difficult header past Leipzig’s goalie Peter Gulasci. Lewandowski took a cross from David Alaba as he was heading away from the goal, and redirected the ball past Gulasci.  Lewandowski nearly added a second goal at 44’ after build-up work from Thomas Müller and Serge Gnabry. Moments later, from the ensuing short corner routine, Mats Hummels made contact with a low cross from Müller but Gulasci saved it.  The score was 1-0 at halftime.  [Editor’s note: You know things are not going well for RB Leipzig when you don’t hear about Timo Werner.  As goes Timo, so goes RB Leipzig, and Timo was fairly quiet all day.]

After Neuer’s miraculous save against Forsberg in the second half, Bayern were merciless in attacking the Leipzig goal.  Shots came from Lewandowski, Müller, Gnabry and Mats Hummels even got into the act.  Peter Gulasci was a busy man in the second half.  At 66’, Hummels blocked a vicious shot from Forsberg with his jaw.  One could almost see the stars and birds circling Hummels’ head, but he got up, though it took him a little while to do so.  At 70’ Bayern brought on Corentin Tolisso for his first action since September, when he suffered an ACL tear.  Leipzig substituted 20-year-old Frenchman Dayot Upamecano for team captain Willi Orban.  Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick wanted more speed on defense.  But at 78’ Kingsley Coman scored Bayern’s second goal.  With only twelve minutes left in the game, it appeared Bayern had the Cup wrapped up, and they made two more substitutions – Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben came on for Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman. 

Lewandowski struck again.  A long Bayern clearance puts Upamecano in a tough spot.  The 30-year-old Lewandowski sprinted past the 20-year-old Upamecano, won the ball and dinked the ball over the onrushing Peter Gulasci with his left foot.  It was 3-0 Bayern with only five minutes to go.  After three minutes of stoppage time, Leipzig could not get on the board and the game ended with Bayern winning, 3-0.  Mauuel Neuer got a clean sheet, Niko Kovac got his second DFB-Pokal in as many years [his Frankfurt side beat Bayern Munich in last year’s final], and Bayern won the domestic double.  Kovac did what Jupp Heynckes couldn’t do last year, nor could Carlo Ancelotti do in his short stint at Bayern.  I think all of that talk about Niko Kovac not coaching at Bayern next year will cease.