Bayern wins German Cup final to seal another domestic double

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich consolidated its domestic dominance on Saturday with another double by beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in the first German Cup final to be held without fans.

Bayern, which had already won its eighth straight Bundesliga title, retained the cup with goals from David Alaba, Serge Gnabry and two from Robert Lewandowski.

It was Bayern’s 20th cup title.

Supporters were excluded from Berlin’s 75,000-capacity Olympiastadion due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leverkusen had been bidding for its first title of any sort since 1993, when it last won the cup.

Bayern dominated the first half and could have been leading by more than two goals at the break.

Alaba broke the deadlock with a brilliant free kick inside the top right corner in the 16th minute and Leverkusen was grateful to goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky for blocking Thomas Müller from close range shortly afterward.

Bayern maintained its pressure and Gnabry fired in the second goal in the 24th.

Leverkusen looked short of ideas and uncertain. Peter Bosz reacted with two changes at the break, but little seemed to change.

Substitute Kevin Volland should have scored for Leverkusen in the 57th, but he missed the ball while attempting to shoot, two minutes before Hradecky allowed Lewandowski’s shot to slip through at the other end.

Leverkusen midfielder Sven Bender pulled a goal back in the 64th, prompting a wild phase in which Leverkusen missed more chances.

But Lewandowski killed off any slim hopes of a comeback with his second goal in the 89th.

Leverkusen star Kai Havertz scored a penalty with the last touch of the game. He didn’t celebrate.