May 26, (THEWILL)- Bayer Leverkusen capped off a remarkable domestic campaign by lifting the DFB-Pokal trophy with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over 2. Bundesliga side, Kaiserslautern, in the final at the Olympiastadion Berlin on Saturday.
Granit Xhaka’s spectacular long-range strike proved decisive, but Leverkusen had to display immense tenacity to hold off a spirited Kaiserslautern fightback after Odilon Kossounou’s red card late in the first half. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Xabi Alonso’s men dug deep to preserve their narrow lead and secure a domestic double.
For Kaiserslautern, reaching the final represented a fairytale run, becoming the first 2. Bundesliga club since MSV Duisburg in 2011 to grace the showpiece event. They made life extremely difficult for their top-flight opponents but ultimately fell just short of capping their remarkable journey with the biggest prize.
The victory completed Leverkusen’s sensational rise under Xabi Alonso this season. Having gone unbeaten in the Bundesliga, the newly-crowned champions added the DFB-Pokal to cap a truly extraordinary campaign that will be remembered as one of the greatest in German football history.
It will go into Leverkusen folklore and set the seal on a domestic double very few could have foreseen at the start of the season but for which, barring their unfortunate 3-nil loss to Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League, they can all be extremely proud.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
