Leverkusen gain Dortmund revenge in Cup, Leipzig fight back

Ibrahim Maza was the difference as Bayer Leverkusen won 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to march into the German Cup last eight on Tuesday.

The Black and Yellows won 2-1 at the Werkself in the Bundesliga on Saturday but both sides started with top strikers Serhou Guirassy and Patrik Schick on the bench for the Cup clash.

Algeria 20-year-old Maza, a July signing from Hertha Berlin, continued his superb season by putting Leverkusen ahead at the second attempt from Alex Grimaldo's pass. The visitors had stormed up the field from their own box.

In-form Karim Adeyemi tried hard to bring five-times winners Dortmund back on level terms and the hosts had a big penalty appeal denied.

Leverkusen, the 2024 double winners, thought they had made it 2-0 through Martin Terrier but a video review spotted an earlier offside.

Kasper Hjulmand's side held on anyway as Dortmund lost at home for the first time in nine months and 12 outings in all competitions.

"It is mad we didn't score," Dortmund captain Emre Can told Sky. "I don't think we played badly."

Leverkusen's Robert Andrich added: "To progress in the Cup is very nice. We are at the same level as Borussia Dortmund."

RB Leipzig, 2022 and 2023 Cup champions, came from behind to win 3-1 at home against fellow eastern Germans Magdeburg, who are bottom of the second division.

The Bundesliga outfit went behind to Silas Gnaka's early penalty after Lukas Klostermann had tangled with Falko Michel. Antonio Nusa levelled with a rocket from the edge of the box on 19 minutes.

Christoph Baumgartner completed the turnaround on the half hour with a clever flick and scored an equally classy goal after the interval.

A Magdeburg fan died after collapsing at the stadium. A similar incident occurred in Leipzig's last Cup game.

Gladbach surprised, Hertha shine

St Pauli belied their wretched league form to reach the quarter-finals after a 2-1 win at fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The Hamburg-based side have lost a club record nine in a row in the Bundesliga but are enjoying a strong Cup run. Louis Oppie calmly grabbed the winner on 83 minutes.

Martijn Kaars had given St Pauli the lead just before the interval following Joel Chima Fujita's assist.

Haris Tabakovic levelled for the hosts with a header on 56 minutes but the Foals, who have a seen a real uptick in form since coach Eugen Polanski replaced Gerardo Seoane, ran out of steam.

Hertha Berlin also crushed second-tier rivals Kaiserslautern 6-1 at home to progress from the last 16.

An early mistake at the back allowed Luca Schuler to round the keeper for the opener and Marten Winkler raced from his own half to score the second.

It was 3-0 before half-time in the Olympic Stadium, which is set to host May's final, thanks to Kennet Eichhorn before Marlon Ritter pulled one back.

Schuler made it 4-1 on the hour and a goalkeeper error allowed Dawid Kownacki to score before Maurice Krattenmacher completed the rout.

Wednesday's Cup action includes holders VfB Stuttgart at Bochum and Bayern Munich at Union Berlin.

The last-eight draw is on Sunday ahead of matches in February.