Cancelo scores as Bayern beat Mainz 4-0

Cancelo, who joined the German champions from Man City on Tuesday, made an immediate impression by giving a high cross to Cameroonian striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who hammered in from close range.

Without a win in their first three league games of 2023, Bayern came under intense pressure to progress to the quarter-finals of the German Cup for the first time in three seasons.

Choupo-Moting’s 17th minute calmed the visitors’ nerves and they had a second after the 30th minute when Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller found teenage striker Jamal Musiala, who smashed the ball over the goal to make it 2-0.

Winger Leroy Sané scored the third goal with one minute of the first half remaining, a looped assist from former Mainz striker Choupo-Moting.

Choupo-Moting’s goal and assist held a remarkable record for the Hamburg-born striker, who now has nine goals and five assists in five German Cup appearances for Bayern.

Canadian full-back Alphonso Davies, coming on for Cancelo with 20 minutes remaining, added a fourth late in the game by heading in a smooth assist from Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

Mainz had a number of half-chances in an increasingly fiery second half, which saw centre-back Alexander Hack sent off for a second yellow card, along with Bo Svensson, who was shown a straight red card for arguing with the assistant referee just in front of the goalkeeper’s goal. Davies. .

– Werner on target –

In Tuesday’s early game, former Chelsea striker Timo Werner scored late to help German Cup holders RB Leipzig beat Hoffenheim 3-1.

Werner, who returned to Leipzig in August after a two-year spell at Stamford Bridge, had a difficult night and was sidelined several times.

However, he got his timing right in the 83rd minute, grabbing a pass from Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen and driving the ball past Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann to seal his side’s victory.

Leipzig, who are unbeaten in the league at home this season, struck after just eight minutes, with Swedish striker Emil Forsberg catching Baumann as he napped to reel in a long shot at the near post.

Leipzig doubled their lead before the break, with Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer collecting the ball on the turn before unleashing a fierce left foot shot into the far corner of the net.

Kasper Dolberg headed in a sublime cross from former wing defender Angelino from Leipzig in the 77th minute and caused some nerves for the home team in the final phase.

However, Werner scored his fourth goal of the cup campaign with just over five minutes remaining.

“We have shown that we want to go further (in the league),” said Forsberg.

“We played a good first half, we were really focused. We could have sealed it sooner, but it was a deserved win.”

Former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Delaney, who signed for Hoffenheim on Monday, told Germany’s Sky: “We have a good team, we have great players, but we lack confidence at the moment.”

Hoffenheim captain Baumann agreed, saying his side under pressure had hoped to build confidence with a better result in the cup.

Hoffenheim are 13th in the league, three points above the relegation playoff spot, with Baumann saying the side had to admit “we’re in a relegation battle.”

“We almost only lose and that irritates me a lot.”

AFP