Borussia Dortmund have reached the final of the DFB Cup for the seventh time in their history following a 3-2 (1-2) away victory over Bayern Munich. The win in Bavaria means the Black and Yellows have become the first team ever to reach the Berlin showpiece in four successive seasons.

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting from Munich

The 75,000 spectators, including 7,500 travelling BVB fans, at a sold-out Allianz Arena saw a very strong opening 25 minutes from the visitors, who were equal to their Bavarian hosts and deservedly took the lead through Reus in the 19th minute. For the remainder of the first period, however, the men from Munich had Thomas Tuchel's team penned back and turned the game around with goals from Martinez (29) and Hummels (41). But BVB kept going and fought back after the interval, restoring parity through Aubameyang on 69 minutes before Dembélé curled home another goal five minutes later to hand the Black and Yellows a 3-2 victory in a crazy encounter.

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The scenario:
It was always going to be a tense encounter given that it featured the two most successful German clubs of recent years, who were meeting each other in the DFB Cup for the sixth successive season. During that period there had been two Dortmund victories and three Munich triumphs. The last three clashes between the teams in this competition went to extra-time, with the last two culminating in penalties: the Black and Yellows won the 2014/15 semi-final in Munich 3-1 from the spot, while Bayern won the final in Berlin last season thanks to a 4-3 shootout victory.

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Bender, Piszczek, Isac and Ginter on arrival at the Allianz Arena.

Personnel matters:
The only absence for the hosts was shot-stopper Neuer (broken foot), while the visitors from Westphalia were without Sahin (torn lateral collateral ligament in ankle), Bartra (arm and hand operation), Schürrle (ankle), Götze (metabolic disorder) and Rode (muscular problems). Thomas Tuchel made four changes to the starting XI that faced Gladbach at the weekend, bringing in Sokratis, Piszczek, Aubameyang and Weigl in place of Sahin, Ginter, Durm and Pulisic.

Tactics:
BVB lined up in a classic 4-4-2 system in which Reus and Aubameyang played more or less level with each other in attack and were repeatedly given support by Dembélé and Guerreiro on the flanks. In some situations, the Black and Yellows transitioned to a 4-3-3 or even a 4-2-4 formation. Bayern countered with a highly flexible 4-1-2-3 system in which Ribéry and Robben in the wing forward positions consistently dropped back into midfield in a bid to outnumber the visitors in the middle of the park.

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Sokratis returned to the starting XI.

The match & analysis:
It was clear from the first whistle that this was a very different Borussia Dortmund to the team that suffered a bitter 4-1 league defeat in the Allianz Arena two and a half weeks ago. Thomas Tuchel's team looked braver, showed significantly more self-confidence going forward and defended much more solidly. The first chance to make a mark on the game fell to BVB and Aubameyang, who failed to get sufficient contact on a Guerreiro cross in the fourth minute. Bayern's first good opportunity came nine minutes later, with Bürki punching clear Ribéry's initial effort from 11 metres before Vidal drilled the follow-up narrowly wide from 17 metres.

It was very much an equal affair, with neither side dominating territorially. Both teams were oozing creativity going forward and looked dangerous, but it was the Black and Yellows who broke the deadlock when Martinez played a poor backpass towards Ulreich that was pounced on by Guerreiro. The Portugual international tried to play it through the Bayern shot-stopper's legs as he came charging off his line, but the attempted nutmeg ricocheted off the goalkeeper's lower leg and hit the post. Lahm couldn't get to the loose ball in time, leaving Reus with a simple tap-in from less than a metre to put the visitors 1-0 ahead.

Aubameyang levels

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Weigl looks on despondently as Bayern go 2-1 ahead.

Bayern, though, reacted with determination and restored parity when Martinez headed home an Alonso corner from seven metres out in the 29th minute. It set the tone for some frenetic football in the BVB half in what remained of the first period, with Bayern putting the visitors under significant pressure. 

In terms of chances, Guerreiro fired a BVB free-kick from 17 metres out centimetres over the crossbar in the 31st mintue, before Piszczek denied Lewandowski an almost certain goal with a sensational slide tackle in the box 60 seconds later. Six minutes later Castro threw himself in the way of a Vidal volley and deflected the ball narrowly over. The Chilean again came close with a header from the ensuing corner – the ball fortunately bounced back off the woodwork – but Bayern eventually took the lead four minutes before the break when Hummels slotted home a low effort from 14 metres following a marauding run from Ribéry. On the stroke of half-time, Bürki thwarted Lewandowski in a one on one.

Shortly after the restart the BVB custodian and the Bayern frontman again went head to head, with Bürki sliding in to pluck the ball away from the feet of the Polish international (47). The Swiss shot-stopper made an equally good save ten minutes later from Robben, who shot from a narrow angle in the left of the box following a counter. On the whole the Black and Yellows successfully broke free of the Bayern stranglehold in the second period, but the hosts still managed to a create a series of chances culminating in Robben's effort on the 63-minute mark, when Bender was forced to slide in to deflect the Dutchman's strike onto the post. The visitors offered little going forward until the 69th minute, when Piszczek played the ball down the right to Dembélé, who crossed towards the back post for Aubameyang to nod home from close range. BVB were back in the game. It set the tone for a dramatic finale!

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Sokratis and Reus celebrate the latter's opener.

Dembélé curls into the top corner

By now it was end to end with both teams playing an open game. Bürki made a good save to deny Robben (70), but then BVB bit back and re-established their earlier lead. Having laid the ball off in the box, Reus got it back and had the presence of mind to pick out Dembélé on the right. The young Frenchman displayed a touch of class, first outmanoevring Boateng with a turn and then curling the ball into the top left corner (74). Bayern responded by throwing everything forward and had chances through Robben (83, 86) and Lahm (89) but to no avail. Two minutes into stoppage time, Weigl fired narrowly over from distance for BVB.

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Prospects:
Borussia Dortmund's domestic campaign continues when they play host to 1. FC Köln in Dortmund on Saturday (15:30 CET). The DFB Cup final will be held in the Olympiastadion in Berlin on 27 May (20:45 CET). Ticket information will follow shortly on bvb.de.

Teams & goals