Musiala scores 1st-half hat-trick as Bayern beat Mainz in German Cup

MAINZ, Germany (AP) — Jamal Musiala scored a first-half hat trick as Bayern Munich reached the third round of the German Cup in a 4-0 win over Mainz on Wednesday.

Bayern was never seriously tested after Musiala opened the scoring less than 90 seconds into the game.

The ease of the win underlined Bayern’s return to the sort of domestic dominance it is used to in Germany after a trophyless 2023-24 season, even if its Champions League campaign has been less impressive.

After scoring his first on a slick team move assisted by Harry Kane, Musiala made sure he was in the right place at the right time for his other goals.

The second came on the rebound when a Kane shot was saved and Musiala completed his hat trick with Bayern’s fourth goal of the game, a tap-in when Konrad Laimer’s cross deflected off two Mainz players. Shortly before that, Leroy Sané had scored Bayern’s third goal on a flowing counterattack that began in his team’s own penalty area.

In Wednesday’s other games, Union Berlin has been on the rise again in the Bundesliga but had an early cup exit with a 2-0 loss to third-division Arminia Bielefeld.

Heidenheim was upset 2-1 by second-division Hertha Berlin. Heidenheim thought it had done enough to go to extra time when Paul Wanner headed in a last-second equalizer, but it was ruled out for an apparent foul in the build-up.

Other Bundesliga teams progressed as Werder Bremen knocked out Paderborn 1-0, Freiburg saw off Hamburger SV 2-1 and Hoffenheim knocked out Nuremberg 2-1.

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