Leading Bundesliga team Bayer Leverkusen defeated Fortuna Dusseldorf, a team in the second division, 4-0 on Wednesday to advance to the DFB Pokal final and extend their unbeaten streak to 40 games in all competitions this season.
Dusseldorf was unable to keep up with the hosts’ fast-paced style until goals from Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli, and Jeremie Frimpong in the first half ended the match.
With a penalty kick on the hour, Germany international Wirtz added a fourth, giving Xabi Alonso’s team a second chance to win a major title for the first time in thirty-one years.
On May 25, Leverkusen will play Kaiserslautern, which defeated Saarbrucken of the third tier 2-0 on Tuesday.
Despite interest from major European teams, Alonso is staying at Leverkusen and says, “It is very important for the last game of the season to be a final.” “We now have a super chance and we are happy.”
“It has been a long road. We started back in July with new players. But they have done it well. We show it on the pitch and that is important,” the Spaniard remarked.
“We now have to enjoy the moment that we have earned the chance to be in the final.”
But with seven games left and a 13-point lead over second-place Bayern Munich, Leverkusen can win the Bundesliga title for the first time before then.
They have advanced to the final eight of the Europa League, where they will take on West Ham United.
With a goal by Frimpong in the seventh minute, the hosts had a strong start. In the 20th minute, Wirtz set up Adli for Dusseldorf’s second goal, and despite a brief attempt to rally, they were caught off guard.
Before the half, Leverkusen took advantage of a mistake made by Dusseldorf and converted it into a goal. After the break, Wirtz added another goal with a penalty.
Leverkusen had further good news when their striker, Victor Boniface, returned as a second-half replacement. The Nigerian had suffered a three-month layoff following adductor muscle surgery in January.