Berlin, May 26, 2024, The Europe Today: In a thrilling display of football, Bayer Leverkusen triumphed 1-0 over Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on Saturday, completing an unbeaten domestic double for the season.
Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka scored the decisive goal in the 16th minute, securing the victory against second-division Kaiserslautern. Despite being reduced to 10 men after Odilon Kossounou received a second yellow card in the 44th minute for a foul on Boris Tomiak, Leverkusen held their ground.
Kaiserslautern, bolstered by strong support from their traveling fans, could not capitalize on the numerical advantage. The victory marks Leverkusen’s second German Cup win, their first since 1993, and comes as a consolation after their defeat by Atalanta in the Europa League final just three days earlier, which ended Leverkusen’s record 51-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Head coach Xabi Alonso, reflecting on the victory, told Germany’s ARD, “To win like that at the end, we showed our team spirit. We fought hard, we did it for everyone, the fans, the club. I need a bit more time to grasp it. It was a dream season. To be able to celebrate here is incredible — we need to enjoy it.”
This triumph caps off Alonso’s first full season managing at the top level, finishing with a Bundesliga and German Cup double, a Europa League final, and an impressive record of just one loss in 53 games.
Club CEO Fernando Carro praised the team’s performance, stating, “It was a deserved victory. We could have added another goal but overall a fully deserved win. We lifted the Cup after we failed to do so Wednesday. Compliments to the team to win this double.”
The win solidifies Bayer Leverkusen’s place in German football history, showcasing their resilience and determination throughout the season.
