Munich meet Frankfurt again, in German Cup

HAMBURG - Bayern Munich will hope for a less nerve-racking affair than on Saturday when they meet Eintracht Frankfurt again Wednesday in the third round of the German Cup.

Munich came from behind to beat Frankfurt 2-1 in the Bundesliga from Daniel van Buyten’s 88th-minute winner after earlier wasting a dozen first rate chances.

On Wednesday in Frankfurt, coach Louis van Gaal is expected to field Germany strikers Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez, as well as Dutchman Arjen Robben in a side full of attacking power. Robben returned from injury as a substitute on Saturday and provided the equaliser.

Munich need a convincing result in what has so far been an indifferent season, but two straight league wins have boosted morale.

“We want to advance and want to be in Berlin (for the final),” said general manager Uli Hoeness.

Hoeness also said that winning alone is not enough because Munich, by its own definition as the nation’s top club, must also thrill the fans with classy football.

“The team must become more dominant. A Bayern team that just plays so-so is not really Bayern. We are Munich, that’s were have to get back to,” said Hoeness.

Frankfurt gave Munich a fight in the second half but club boss Heribert Bruchhagen has his doubts whether the team can perform at a high level, mentally and physically, twice in four days.

“Our players were under a lot of stress. Bayern are used to playing a Wednesday-Saturday rhythm. We must see how we can cope with that,” said Bruchhagen.

Frankfurt versus Munich is the only all-Bundesliga tie of the eight games played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Tuesday, VfB Stuttgart are at second division Greuther Fuerth, Cologne visit fourth division Eintracht Trier and Borussia Dortmund are at giant-killing third division side VfL Osnabrueck. There is also a second division meeting between Augsburg and MSV Duisburg.

The three Wednesday games apart from the one in Frankfurt are played between first and second division sides.

Holders Werder Bremen host Kaiserslautern, Schalke 04 visit 1860 Munich and Hoffenheim play TuS Koblenz.

Bremen are unbeaten in 15 competitive games and after a 4-1 win at VfL Bochum are just one point behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen and SV Hamburg.