DORTMUND, Germany: Bayern Munich were eliminated from the German Cup in the second round for the third time in four years after losing 2-1 at third division club Saarbruecken early this morning thanks to a last minute goal by Marcel Gaus.

With the score tied 1-1 and the match looking set to go into extra time, defender Gaus scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to seal his side’s stunning win.

“When a first division team like Bayern comes to Saarbruecken and loses, then we did something wrong,” veteran Thomas Mueller told ARD after the match.

Bayern lost to Holstein Kiel on penalties at the same stage three years ago, then were thrashed 5-0 by Borussia Moenchengladbach in the second round in 2021.

The 20-time champions also lost in the quarter-finals at home to Freiburg last season.

“Maybe there are 100 reasons or maybe none at all. We are facing an injury crisis but some say we deserve to win,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said.

An “extremely proud” home coach Ruediger Ziehl said he told his players today’s training session was now only “voluntary.”

“If we don’t celebrate it today, maybe we don’t have the chance to celebrate it.”

Bayern, who travel to Bundesliga arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, are without centre-back Matthijs de Ligt who is feared to have suffered a serious knee injury for the match, leaving them with just one fit midfielder.

Previously, Marco Reus’ goal helped Borussia Dortmund win 1-0 at home against Hoffenheim.