BERLIN: Third-tier Saarbruecken stunned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich 2-1 with a last-gasp winner on Wednesday to dump them out of the German Cup in the second round.

Marcel Gaus netted the winner for the hosts with a low left-foot drive deep into second-half stoppage time to complete a sensational comeback and trigger wild celebrations from the home crowd as the Bayern players looked on in complete shock.

Bayern, who last lifted the trophy in 2020, had taken a first-half lead through Thomas Mueller before Saarbruecken levelled in first-half added time when Patrick Sontheimer tapped in from close range.

Bayern were beaten by Holstein Kiel on penalties at the same stage three years ago, then thrashed 5-0 by Borussia Moenchengladbach in round two in 2021.

The record 20-time winners also lost in the quarter-finals at home to Freiburg last season.

“This is a brutal blow for us,” said Mueller, with his team next facing title rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday. “To be eliminated for the third time in the second round of the Cup is not what we strive for. We have to congratulate Saarbruecken for their fight.”

Earlier on Wednesday, a strike from Marco Reus gave Dortmund a 1-0 home win over Hoffenheim.

In an entertaining first half Hoffenheim had enough cha­nces to take the lead, but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens found enough space down the left to feed Reus inside the box and the midfielder rifled a curling shot into the top corner.

Hoffenheim ended the game with 10 men after Ozan Kabak was sent off with a second booking in second-half stoppage time.

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen scored three goals in the final five minutes to win 5-2 at third-tier Sandhausen.

Argentinian World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios gave Leverkusen an early lead from the spot after Amine Adli was brought down in the box.

Sandhausen levelled twice early in the second half, Chris­t­oph Ehlich and Yassin Ben Balla scoring either side of a Jon­athan Tah goal for the visitors.

Leverkusen forward Adam Hlozek scored in the 85th minute to give the visitors the lead, before Adli added two of his own to round out a nervous victory.

Elsewhere, Bundesliga club Freiburg crashed out of the competition after losing 3-1 at home to second tier Paderborn.

Five-time winners Eintracht Frankfurt won at third-division Viktoria Cologne, while Hertha Berlin beat Mainz 05, Magdeburg edged out Holstein Kiel on penalties and four-time winners Nuremberg beat Hansa Rostock in extra time.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2023