Bayer Leverkusen seals a spot in the German Cup semi-finals

Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen made an incredible comeback to defeat derby rivals Cologne 3-2 in the German Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Despite being heavy favorites against their second-division opponents, Leverkusen were stunned as Cologne took a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Damion Downs opened the scoring just after the break, followed by Linton Maina’s goal that doubled the advantage for Cologne. With the clock ticking and Leverkusen staring at a first defeat in the competition since July 2022, the tide began to turn. In the 60th minute, Florian Wirtz provided a crucial assist to Patrik Schick, whose goal sparked life into Leverkusen's fightback. The momentum swung in their favor, and with 15 minutes left, they leveled the score at 2-2.

In extra time, Victor Boniface emerged as the hero for the defending champions. The striker netted a dramatic winner, completing the remarkable turnaround. His goal sent Leverkusen into the semi-finals, where they will aim to continue their bid for back-to-back German Cup titles. The comeback was a testament to their resilience, as they showed character to bounce back from a two-goal deficit and secure a place in the next stage of the tournament.

Patrik Schick sent the game into extra time with a dramatic header in the seventh minute of stoppage time, keeping Bayer Leverkusen's hopes alive. It was the first time this season that Schick and Victor Boniface played together up front, and the pairing paid off. Boniface capitalized on an Alex Grimaldo cross, scoring to put Leverkusen ahead and on track for victory. Cologne, however, nearly forced a penalty shootout when Imad Rondic scored in the 113th minute, sending their fans into raptures. But the joy was short-lived as VAR overturned the goal, ruling Rondic offside by a narrow margin. This decision dashed Cologne’s hopes, and Leverkusen held firm to secure their place in the semi-finals with a 3-2 win.

"It was a very hard game against an opponent who did very well, but we showed a good reaction. It might not have been our best game but we showed heart and belief. We fought until the last minute, with patience and kept our structure. We're happy," Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso told reporters.

Cologne, relegated last season but now leading Bundesliga 2, stunned Leverkusen with an early two-goal lead. A pyrotechnic display from Cologne fans led to 10 minutes of stoppage time, during which Damion Downs capitalized on sloppy defending to score just before the break. Early in the second half, Downs assisted Linton Maina, who rounded goalkeeper Matej Kovar to double Cologne's advantage.

Leverkusen responded in the 61st minute when Florian Wirtz set up Patrik Schick, who nutmegged Kovar to reduce the deficit. Schick’s header in the final minute of stoppage time leveled the score, sending the game to extra time. Victor Boniface then scored from a Grimaldo cross to put Leverkusen ahead. Cologne thought they had equalized in the 113th minute, but VAR ruled the goal offside. Leverkusen's win sees them join Stuttgart in the semi-finals, while RB Leipzig hosts Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen faces Arminia Bielefeld later in February.