Niko Kovac stunned his future employer by leading Eintracht Frankfurt to a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal final on Saturday -- the club's first-such trophy since 1988.

Kovac delivered the cup, and with it a spot in the Europa League next season, in his final game in charge before replacing Jupp Heynckes as Bayern boss this summer.

Ante Rebic scored either side of Robert Lewandowski's equaliser, with his second goal after 82 minutes surviving a VAR check by the referee after Bayern appealed for a handball in the build-up.

That was not the end of the replay drama, however, as Frankfurt survived another review in injury time when the referee decided that Kevin-Prince Boateng's kick on Javi Martinez was not worthy of a penalty.

With Bayern still seething, Frankfurt immediately launched a counter-attack and substitute Mijat Gacinovic raced clear of two opponents to roll the ball into an empty net and spark wild celebrations with his teammates and supporters.

While it was the perfect send-off for Kovac, it denied Heynckes a Bundesliga and cup double on his farewell as Frankfurt claimed their first title for 30 years following defeat in the final 12 months ago.

Bayern will feel two huge decisions went against them and were left to rue chances from Lewandowski and Mats Hummels which struck the crossbar.</s>Bayern Munich suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB-Pokal final to end their dreams of winning a domestic double in Jupp Heynckes’ last game in charge of the club.

Frankfurt manager Niko Kovač will take over at the Allianz Arena this summer, but the 46-year-old was fully focused on the task at hand and the Eagles’ win has ensured European football will be played at the Commerzbank-Arena next season.

Ante Rebić was the star of the show for Frankfurt as the Croatian notched two breakaway goals either side of Robert Lewandowski’s strike, with Mijat Gaćinović putting the icing on the cake with the last kick of the game.

Frankfurt started the stronger of the two sides at Berlin's Olympiastadion, but Carlos Salcedo needlessly gave away a free kick and Robert Lewandowski was inches away from scoring from the resulting set-piece - denied only by the underside of the crossbar.

And the Eagles capitalised minutes later when a miss placed pass from James Rodríguez allowed Ante Rebić to break past Bayern Munich's defence, firing a right-footed strike into Sven Ulreich's near post to give Frankfurt a shock lead.=

Thomas Müller wasted a guilt-edged chance to respond immediately before Joshua Kimmich also misplaced a seemingly routine header, with Lukáš Hrádecký remaining largely untroubled throughout the remainder of the first half.

Kevin-Prince Boateng and Marius Wolf both had half chances before the break but Frankfurt were unable to double their advantage, and the Eagles survived a late scare to take their narrow advantage into half time

Boateng stung the palms of Sven Ulreich less than two minutes after the restart as Frankfurt looked to catch Bayern Munich off guard once again.

But it was the Bavarians who struck first in the second half, with star man Robert Lewandowski maintaining his 100% goalscoring record in the cup this season to claw the Reds back into the game.

Niklas Süle and Joshua Kimmich combined well down the right-hand side before the latter of the two defenders pulled the ball back to the edge of the box where the Poland international stroked the ball past a wrong-footed

Omar Mascarell tried their luck with audacious efforts from distance but Bayern Munich were resilient in their defending, with the introduction of Corentin Tolisso and Kingsley Coman offering Frankfurt with an entirely new threat.

Lewandowski was inches away from completing the turnaround with just 15 minutes left on the clock, with Mats Hummels then seeing his looping header denied by the face of the crossbar.

And Frankfurt made Bayern Munich pay for their missed opportunities when Ante Rebić converted another fantastic counter-attack to send the Eagles into party mode - with the clever finish from the Croatian even surviving a review from the VAR.

Frankfurt survived a number of late attacks from Bayern Munich as well as a strong penalty shout before Mijat Gaćinović raced the length of the pitch to put the icing on the cake with an outstanding solo goal with the last kick of the game.</s>Kevin-Prince Boateng was in action for Eintracht Frankfurt as they pulled off a shock 3-1 upset over Bayern Munich in the final to win their first DFB Pokal since 1998.

Bayern were beaten 4-1 by Stuttgart in their Bundesliga season finale and the hangover appeared to linger for Jupp Heynckes' team as Frankfurt took the early lead through Ante Rebic in the 11th minute.

The German champions looked dangerous throughout the opening half-hour, but couldn't find the end product with Joshua Kimmich flashing a header wide of goal before Robert Lewandowski missed from close range from a Franck Ribery through ball.

Bayern, trailing at half-time for the third match in a row in all competitions, were soon level when Lewandowski's shot from a Kimmich cut-back took a slight deflection and wrong-footed Lukas Hradecky in the Frankfurt goal.

With Bayern pushing for the winner, Frankfurt struck on the counter with Rebic popping up on the end of a long pass over the Bayern defence, settling it with his head and volleying past Sven Ulreich.

The goal was reviewed for handball in the buildup, but after consulting with the video assistant the referee awarded the goal to preserve Frankfurt's shock 2-1 lead.

And Frankfurt got their third with an empty net goal from Mijat Gacinovic after Bayern had pulled Ulreich up for a later corner kick to give the Bavarians incoming coach for next season Niko Kovac a historic piece of silverware.

The result sees the departing Heynckes go out on a losing note, with Frankfurt securing their first German Cup trophy in 30 years after losing in the final in 2006 and 2017.

The win also qualifies Eintracht Frankfurt for next season's Europa League.</s>BERLIN: Eintracht Frankfurt clinched their fifth German Cup after beating Bayern Munich 3-1 by courtesy of Ante Rebic's brace in the final at outsold Berlin Olympia stadium.

The "Eagles" have flabbergasted uninspired Bayern Munich in the German Cup final and spoiled Jupp Heynckes' last game as Bayern coach as Ante Rebic's double strike smoothed the way for the win before Mijat Gacinovic sealed the deal in the dying seconds of the game on Saturday, Xinhua reported.

Bayern grabbed a bright start into the final as Robert Lewandowski ensured the first chance of the game after rattling the woodwork with eight minutes played.

However, it were Frankfurt who caught a fairy tale start against the German record champions as James Rodriguez fumbled the ball allowing Ante Rebic to beat Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich with a low shot in the 11th minute.

The Bundesliga champions assumed control and squandered several promising opportunities. Hence, Bayern had to take a 1-0 deficit into the half time.

After the restart, the "Bavarians" were able to restore parity as Joshua Kimmich's square pass found Robert Lewandowski, who poked home from inside the box to make it 1-1 on the scoreboards.

Jupp Heynckes' men gained momentum but lacked in accuracy in front of Frankfurt's goal area. Eintracht Frankfurt responded well to the equalizer and shocked Bayern in the closing period as Ante Rebic shrugged off Niklas Suele to beat Ulreich once again in the 82nd minute.

Bayern pressed frenetically for the late leveller but clinical Frankfurt caught the "Bavarians" flat footed as Mijat Gacinovic tapped home the 3-1 win into the empty goal.

With the result, Frankfurt lift their first German Cup since 1988 as head coach Niko Kovac upset his future employer Bayern Munich in the final. The "Eagles" booked thus their UEFA Europa League group stage ticket.

"Football can write the most beautiful stories. I am happy for the club and the team. When you stand together you can do it all. Last year we lost this final. This year we are the happy ones. I had great two-and-a-half year here but I leave the club on a high note," Frankfurt head coach Niko Kovac said.</s>Eintracht Frankfurt were crowned DFB-Pokal champions for a fifth time with their 3-1 defeat of FC Bayern München at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday night.

Bayern 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 3

 Rebic on target on 11′

 Lewandowski levels on 53′

 Rebic brace on 82′

 Gacinovic seals the win on 90’+6′

Niko Kovac showed no mercy to his new employers in his last game for Frankfurt to end Jupp Heynckes’ superb spell at Bayern in defeat.

The Bundesliga side hit the crossbar twice but were twice undone by Ante Rebic in a thrilling cup final.

It was a bright start by Frankfurt, but it was Bayern and Thomas Muller with the first shot of the game that was well off target before Joshua Kimmich miscontrolled a super ball from James Rodriguez in the box.

Robert Lewandowski then almost smashed the Bundesliga champions into the lead with a free-kick that hit the underside of the bar.

But it was Ante Rebic, who put Eintracht Frankfurt in the lead with just 11 minutes played, as he dispossessed Rodriguez before Kevin-Prince Boateng picked up the ball and played Rebic in on goal to slot home past Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.

Bayern were quick to respond but Muller failed to get any real contact on a Rodriguez free-kick as the ball hit his shoulder, while Lewandowski fired his 35th minute set-piece wide.

Rebic then should have added a second, but after latching onto another good ball from Boateng, he dallied on the ball and was crowded out.

Marius Wolf headed wide from a good Danny Da Costa cross before half-time, with Ulreich saving a Boateng header at his near post at the start of the second period.

But Bayern were level on 53 minutes through Lewandowski who finished a sweeping move that saw Niklas Sule play in Kimmich on the right, and he cut the ball back to the edge of the area where the Polish striker hit the back of the net, with a slight deflection from Omar Mascarell.

Ulreich then palmed away a first-time volley from Mascarell minutes before second half substitute Corentin Tolisso was denied by a strong challenge from Makoto Hasebe.

Lewandowski was inches away with a 76th minute hooked effort from a Rodriguez cross from the left before Hummels somehow hit the underside of the Frankfurt goal with a powerful header from an 80th minute corner.

Frankfurt though were also threatening as Rebic curled a shot just wide following a succession of corners.

Rebic looked the most likely player to score for Kovac’s side and was credited with his second goal of the game on 82 minutes.

VAR confirmed that Rebic stole in between Sule and Hummels to expertly lift the ball over Ulreich with no question of a hand-ball from Boateng.

Bayern were all over their opponents in the final few minutes, and Rodriguez may well have scored late on but his close range shot was deflected wide.

Joshua Kimmich was just off target with his header in the dying seconds before Lukas Hradecky was called into action and Bayern claimed a penalty for a foul on Javi Martinez that wasn’t awarded.

And after the commotion cleared, Mija Gacinvoic stole in to secure the win – in the sixth minute of injury time. A Bayern corner was cleared and Gacinovic ran the full length of the pitch to slot into an empty net with everyone in a red shirt forward.</s>The season finale in the Bundesliga, the FC Bayern Munich had certainly presented differently. On the last day, before Bayern were handed the championship trophy in their own Allianz Arena, the Munich team was overrun in their own stadium by VfB Stuttgart. At the end it was 4: 1 for the Swabians. This ended an amazing series of Bayern, who had previously won 31 games against climbers in a row! In addition, Bayern were unbeaten in 36 home games in the Bundesliga before this failure. Although this defeat in the end did not change the sovereign championship, the Bayern were still very annoyed and the championship celebration was a bit spoiled. Now Bayern get the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves with a victory in the final of the DFB Cup. FC Bayern have not lost two competitive games in a row this season. Even if the lot luck is often spoken of Munich, so you have to acknowledge at least this season that Bayern had the hardest way to Berlin. In the second round of FCB ran at RB Leipzig, before a station further in the second round Borussia Dortmund came to the Bavarian capital. In the quarter-finals, they moved again with the SC Paderborn the lightest opponent, before it went in the semifinals to Bayer Leverkusen, where the Bayern won 6-2. With 18 titles in the DFB Cup Bayern have the most. With a victory on Saturday Bayern would bring her a total of twelfth double from championship and trophy in the bag and tray. In the Bundesliga FC Bayern could win this year both comparisons with Eintracht Frankfurt. Away in the Commerzbank Arena FCB won 1-0, at home celebrated the Munich with a B team on 32 Matchday with 4:1 win.

On Schalke the Frankfurt caught a very weak day last Saturday. Offensively, the SGE barely took place and was very vulnerable on the defensive. The game structure was pomadig and unimaginative. The players lacked the will to win and the cleverness. In the meantime Eintracht played in this season even for the Champions League places. On Matchday 27, they had an eight-point lead over eighth place. From the last eight league games, however, there were only two victories, but five defeats. The 3: 0 at home against HSV on Matchday 33 was the only victory in the past seven league games. Niko Kovac won the DFB Cup in 2003 as a player. At that time he played for Bayern. The cup final will be Niko Kovac’s last competitive match as Eintracht coach. His successor has already been found with Young Boys Bern coach Adi Hütter. Kovac will not only face his future employer in the finals, the match will also take place in his hometown. As for the players, the coach can draw on the full. In the storm, Ante Rebic returns to the starting eleven after recovering from muscle fiber rupture. The Frankfurt will probably come up with a five-string and a double six.

After all, 1:4 in Leverkusen, 0:3 at home against Hertha, 1:4 at Bayern, then the 3-0 win at home against HSV, before it was on the final day of the game then again broke on Schalke, where the Eintracht four weeks earlier in the semifinals of the DFB Cup still shone. Lukas Hradecky sums it up. The battery at the Hesse is empty, the players look drained. Of course, in the final, every Frankfurt with the eagle on the chest will give it all, but in the end, the Bavarians should then sovereignly get the title to Munich. Therefore, I recommend bets that Bayern win at least two goals margin or more.</s>Ante Rebic ruined Jupp Heynckes’ farewell as Bayern Munich coach on Saturday with the Croatia striker scoring twice as Eintracht Frankfurt claimed an upset 3-1 win in the German Cup final.

The victory gave Eintracht boss Niko Kovac his first trophy as a coach in his final match before leaving to take over from Heynckes at Bayern.

After Rebic’s opening goal, Robert Lewandowski equalised for Munich early in the second half.

However, Rebic added his late second before substitute Mijat Gacinovic tapped into an empty net just before the whistle to delight Frankfurt fans and break Bayern’s hearts.

This was supposed to be Heynckes’ farewell party with Bayern sending their 73-year-old head coach into retirement with the German cup and league double having wrapped up a sixth straight Bundesliga title.

Instead Rebic and Frankfurt grabbed the glory at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Bayern made a bright start in the capital when Lewandowski hit the underside of the Frankfurt bar with just eight minutes gone.

However, Frankfurt scored from their first clear chance.

When Bayern midfielder James Rodriguez was robbed of possession in midfield, Kevin-Prince Boateng threaded a pass through to Rebic.

The Croatia striker dodged the challenges of Bayern centre-backs Niklas Suele and Mats Hummels to plant his shot past Bayern keeper Sven Ulreich with 11 minutes gone.

The shock goal sent a ripple of panic through the Bayern ranks as it was the third straight game they have fallen behind.

Bayern went close with 25 minutes gone when Lewandowski fired wide of the empty goal after Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller had already opened up the Eintracht defence.

It should have been 2-0 to Eintracht eight minutes before half-time when Rebic squared for Jonathan De Guzman, who was unmarked, but the midfielder stumbled with the goal at his mercy.

Tempers started to fray as Frankfurt defender Jetro Willems was booked for body-checking Joshua Kimmich but it stayed 1-0 at the break.

Bayern drew level on 53 minutes when Suele combined with Kimmich, who picked out Lewandowski near the penalty spot to slot home the equaliser.

However, Frankfurt – and Rebic – were not to be denied.

The Croatia international burst in between Suele and Hummels and brilliantly lifted the ball over Ulreich.

The referee checked the replay on advice of the video assistant referee, but the goal stood to make it 2-1 on 82 minutes.

Bayern had calls for a penalty after a foul on Javi Martinez deep into added time turned down.

With all Munich players in the Eintracht half, Frankfurtsealed the victory when Gacinovic got on the end of a Bayern corner, sprinted the length of the pitch to slot into an empty net in the 96th minute.

The Eintracht squad mobbed the 23-year-old and the referee blew the whistle to trigger the Frankfurt party.</s>Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich travel to Berlin this weekend where they will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB-Pokal final.

The Eagles suffered defeat against Borussia Dortmund in last season's final, and manager Niko Kovač will be eager to secure European football with Frankfurt before he leaves the club to join Bayern this summer.

Jupp Heynckes will take charge of the Bavarians one final time on Saturday as he looks to secure a domestic double ahead of his retirement, and a win for the Reds would see Frankfurt miss out on a place in the Europa League to seventh-placed Stuttgart.

Here's everything you need to know about the cup final this weekend.

Bayern Munich will be strong favourites heading into the cup final, and for good reason too. The Bavarians have only lost to Frankfurt once in over a decade, and they've failed to beat the Eagles on just four other occasions.

Although Eintracht Frankfurt have had a largely successful campaign, a recent dip in form should see them comfortably beaten this weekend - especially if the meeting between these two sides last month is anything to go by.</s>Jupp Heynckes' fourth stint as Bayern Munich head coach ended on a disappointing and controversial note as successor Niko Kovac led Eintracht Frankfurt to a 3-1 win in the DFB-Pokal final.

Veteran boss Heynckes won the treble before departing last time in 2013, but Kovac himself ensured that his Bayern reign will begin with the Bundesliga champions holding just one trophy - his side aided by a questionable late refereeing call.

Ante Rebic netted early in the first half and then struck again on the counter-attack eight minutes from time, after Robert Lewandowski had drawn Bayern level and before the drama escalated in stoppage time.

Frankfurt had ridden their luck to reach the closing stages still in a position to win the game and then, having seen VAR rule in their favour for Rebic's second, had referee Felix Zwayer to thank as he opted against awarding a Bayern penalty.

Kovac's men countered and sealed victory through Mijat Gacinovic, but the nature of the defeat will leave an especially bitter taste for Bayern and Heynckes.

Having ended the Bundesliga season with their title celebrations dampened by a home humbling at the hands of Stuttgart, the German champions head into the off-season - and Heynckes into the sunset - on a real downer.</s>Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt will meet in the DFB Pokal Cup final on Saturday in Berlin.

Frankfurt will play in their second consecutive German Cup final. They lost 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund last year but will face a much tougher opponent on Saturday in Bayern.

This is Bayern's fifth German Cup final appearance in seven years.

After recently being crowned the Bundesliga champions, the Bavarians easily handled Bayern Leverkusen in a 6-2 DFB Cup semifinal win. Thomas Muller netted three goals to help seal their place in the finals.

Bayern and Frankfurt have played twice this season, and the Bavarians won both matches. Another wrinkle to the match is that it is Jupp Heynckes's last on the bench for Bayern after he replaced Carlo Ancelotti earlier in the season. His replacement, Niko Kovac, currently manages Eintracht Frankfurt.

Here's how to watch the match:
Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bayern Munich 3–1 at Olympiastadion to win the 75th edition of the DFB-Pokal.