25.09.2013 22:54 h

Football: Holders Bayern cruise into Cup last 16

Rob Friend (r.) wechselt zu Los Angeles Galaxy
Rob Friend (r.) wechselt zu Los Angeles Galaxy

Holders Bayern Munich made light work of Hannover 96 with a 4-1 victory on Wednesday that put them into the last 16 of the German Cup.

Thomas Mueller grabbed a brace while Claudio Pizarro and Franck Ribery also found the net in a comprehensive victory for last season's treble winners.

Didier Ya Konan struck for Hannover, who also lost 2-0 to Bayern in the league earlier in the season.

In the night's other clash of top flight teams Freiburg knocked out Stuttgart with a 2-1 victory.

Schalke 04 had a comfortable night at third division Darmstadt, winning 3-1, but Hertha Berlin crashed 3-1 at second division Kaiserslautern.

On Tuesday Borussia Dortmund required extra time to advance as they won 2-0 away to 10-man 1860 Munich.

The Bundesliga leaders dominated their second-tier opponents were made to wait until the 105th minute before they broke the deadlock through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty after Dominik Stahl was sent off.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan then sealed Dortmund's passage into the next round two minutes later with his fourth goal of the season.