Holders Schalke knock Bayern out of cup
Holders Schalke 04 muscled aside Bayern Munich in a tense and fiercely fought Cup semifinal on Wednesday, using their numerical superiority in extra-time to squeeze a 2-0 win.
The turning point in a niggly match, which brought out eight yellow cards, was the 90th minute dismissal of Bayern defender Samuel Kuffour for a studded challenge on Schalke's Joerg Boehme.
Dutch midfielder Marco van Hoogdalem scored Schalke's opener, thundering in an unstoppable drive from the edge of the penalty area in the 100th minute after Bayern only half-cleared a corner. Boehme poked in the second with his left foot from a tight angle five minutes from the end of extra time.
"It was a deserved win... The best keeper in the world wouldn't have stopped that first goal," said Schalke coach Huub Stevens, who believed his side were gaining the upper hand even before Kuffour's dismissal.
Bayern were left to rue the sending off as well as two clear chances towards the end of normal time. Brazilian Elber headed against the bar in the 83rd minute, while Stefan Effenberg forced a fine save from Schalke keeper Oliver Reck four minutes later.
"We defeated ourselves as Schalke had the advantage in extra-time... Anyway, we have no time to dwell on the match. We've got a tough derby on Saturday," said a sanguine Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Bayern entertain neighbours TSV 1860 Munich at the weekend.
HEAVIEST DEFEAT
The German and European champions were also unable to take revenge for their heaviest defeat of the season.
Only six weeks ago, at the low-point of Bayern's mid-season dip, Schalke beat their visitors 5-1 in the League. Schalke, meanwhile, confirmed they are the form team of 2002.
"You don't get many chances in a semifinal. The first half was very tight, with both defences working, but you saw us getting steadily stronger after that," said Stevens.
Schalke, who defeated Union Berlin in last season's German Cup Final, face a tougher challenge this year. Their opponents in Berlin on May 11 are league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who defeated Cologne 3-1, also after extra-time, in Tuesday's semifinal.
Wednesday's game did not compare to the last time the two sides met in the German Cup semifinal in 1984. The match ended 4-4 after normal time and 6-6 after extra-time. Bayern eventually won the replay 3-2.
