MAINZ, Germany ( Associated Press) – Joao Cancelo needed little time to make an impact at Bayern Munich, helping his new team reach the quarterfinals of the German Cup with a 4-0 win on the pitch at Mainz on Wednesday. helped.
The Portuguese left-back started on the right wing a day after arriving on loan from Manchester City and set up Eric Maxime Choupo-Moting to open the scoring after 17 minutes.
It was Bayern’s first win of 2023, after resuming the Bundesliga campaign with three draws. The Bavarian powerhouse had not reached the quarterfinals of the German Cup since 2020.
Cancelo took advantage of Mainz’s defensive passivity to send a cross at the far post towards Choupo-Moting. On 30, Thomas Müller assisted Jamal Musiala, who scored with a shot that hit the right post and went into the net.
Joshua Kimmich crashed a free kick into the post and Matthijs de Ligt missed another clear opportunity in Bayern’s clear dominance.
Things took a turn for the worse for Mainz just before half-time when captain Sylvan Vidmar went off injured and Choupo-Moting set up Leroy Sane to score.
Mainz made a marked improvement in the second half, but the visitors continued to press and Kimmich headed home an 83rd-minute free kick past Alphonso Davies.
Mainz manager Bo Svensson was sent off just before Davies’ goal. Referee Deniz Aytkin said after the game that Svensson called on the fourth official, asking if everyone was blind.
Mainz defender Alexander Haack was shown his second yellow card in the 86th.
Bayern will visit Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on 14 February.
At half time Musiala finished the game with a limp but returned to finish the game. De Ligt and fellow Dutchman Ryan Gravenburch both needed medical attention after heavy struggles in the second half, but both remained in the game.
Defending champions Leipzig first beat Hoffenheim 3–1 to advance. Union Berlin and Stuttgart play on Thursday and there are more third round matches next week.
