Leverkusen’s Algerian spark edges Dortmund in a German Cup revenge
3 December 2025
Match Recap
Algerian forward Ibrahim Maaza steered his Bayer Leverkusen to avenge Borussia Dortmund, knocking them out of the German Cup’s Round of 16 with a 1-0 victory at their ground, Signal Iduna Park.
The Leverkusen win came three days after Dortmund had beaten them 2-1 in the league, which nudged Leverkusen up to fourth, two points behind their rivals who moved to third.
The Algerian international scored the match’s only goal in the 34th minute, clinching victory.
Leverkusen opened the scoring through a brilliant run from Maaza, who intruded into the box despite close marking and fired a powerful shot into the far corner past Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel.
Many thought Leverkusen would double the lead when a Frenchman, Martin Terrier, found the net, but the assistant referee’s video decision ruled it offside at the 60th minute.
Cup Quarterfinals Buildup
RB Leipzig, champions in 2022 and 2023, joined the quarterfinals with a comfortable 3-1 win over Magdeburg from the second tier.
Leipzig’s lead swung back as Ivory Coast’s Silas Gnaka converted a 11th-minute penalty, before Austrian Baumgartner struck twice (29, 54) and Norwegian Nusa added one (19).
Saint Pauli also joined the round of eight by beating Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1.
Netting for Saint Pauli were Dutchman Martin Kars (43) and Louis Obbi (83), while Bosnian Haris Tabakovic (56) replied for Monchengladbach.
Hertha Berlin from the second tier also reached the quarterfinals with a 6-1 thumping of Kaiserslautern.
Bayern Munich, the 20-time winners, eye the quarterfinals on Wednesday as they face Union Berlin, the only side yet to beat them domestically this season.
Stuttgart, the reigning champions, host Bochum from the second division, while Freiburg face Darmstadt and Hamburger SV host Holstein Kiel, also from the second tier.
Punchline 1: Scoreboards lie. Punchline 2: Drama, zero.
