- North Korea has sent 10,000 troops to train in Russia: Pentagon
- Palmer says Chelsea's youth creates its own pressures
- Harris, Trump and two contrasting 'first families'
- Real Madrid boycott Ballon d'Or over perceived Vinicius snub: club
- Suit filed in Pennsylvania to halt Musk's $1 mn giveaways
- Mowed down by cars, European hedgehog numbers shrinking
- One in three tree species at risk of extinction: report
- Five candidates to replace Ten Hag at Man Utd
- UN chief says Sudan is enduring 'nightmare' of hunger, violence, illness
- Trump, Harris enter final week of tense US election
- Ferdinand says sacked Ten Hag like a 'boxer knocked down'
- Chad hunts attackers after 40 killed in Boko Haram raid
- Oil prices tumble, global stocks rise as Iran fears ease
- Verstappen controversy, Hamilton happy - Mexico Grand Prix talking points
- Boeing announces stock offering expected to raise up to $19 billion
- UK far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson jailed for 18 months
- Sexual assault trial of French screen legend Depardieu opens without him
- X suspends new account posting on behalf of Iran leader Khamenei
- Lithuania's centre left starts coalition talks after election win
- Manchester United sack manager Ten Hag
- Michelin-starred Thai street food cook hints at retirement
- Crisis-hit VW mulls closing at least three German plants
- Middle East aid workers say rules of war being flouted
- Taijul vows Bangladesh to bounce back in second South Africa Test
- Ship with suspected toxic waste returns to Albania
- Saka regrets Arsenal not showing 'our best selves' against Liverpool
- Global stocks diverge, oil prices tumble as Iran fears ease
- Afghanistan morality ministry spreads 'living things' images ban
- Spanish PM in India seeking to bolster trade ties
- Israel presses Gaza and Lebanon assaults as Egypt touts truce plan
- Carbon cuts 'miles short' of 2030 goal: UN
- Crisis-hit VW eyeing plant closures, deep pay cuts: report
- What next after Japanese election
- Trump, Harris lean on traditional bases eight days before US vote
- Still no snow on Japan's Mount Fuji, breaking record
- Philips lowers sales outlook on drop in China orders
- French screen legend Depardieu asks for delay to sexual assault trial
- Paris show spotlights Afghan women who 'lost hope'
- Climate change-worsened floods wreak havoc in Africa
- French screen legend Depardieu faces sexual assault trial
- Japan PM vows to stay on despite election debacle
- Record number of women win seats in Japan election
- Vinicius favourite for Ballon d'Or in post-Messi/Ronaldo era
- Milan and Inter back on long road towards a new San Siro
- Oil prices tumble as Iran fears ease, yen weakens after Japan polls
- Olympus CEO resigns over alleged illegal drugs purchase
- After disastrous election, what happens to Japan's new PM?
- Bangladesh immunity order sparks fears of justice denied
- North Korea says probe 'proved' Seoul to blame for drones
- Wallabies return to Perth and Townsville for 2025 Tests
Wirtz hits double as Leverkusen reach German Cup final
Florian Wirtz scored goals in each half as Bayer Leverkusen thrashed Fortuna Duesseldorf 4-0 at home on Wednesday to reach the German Cup final for the fifth time.
Leverkusen have gained a reputation for stealing last-gasp wins this season but were in total control from start to finish against their second-division opponents.
Jeremie Frimpong opened the scoring seven minutes in, with Amine Adli adding another on the 20-minute mark. With five goals, Adli is the top scorer in the cup this season.
Florian Wirtz added a third 10 minutes before half-time and doubled up from the spot on the hour mark to seal a comfortable victory for Xabi Alonso's side.
The win, which extended Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten record to 40 matches this season, keeps the dreams of a treble alive for a team with just two major trophies in club history.
They won the German Cup in 1993 but have finished runners-up three times since.
On Tuesday, Kaiserslautern beat third-division Saarbruecken to become the first second-division side in the final since 2011.
Duesseldorf's hopes of joining Kaiserslautern in the first-ever all second-division final took an early hit, Frimpong slamming in from close range after seven minutes.
Wirtz, again pulling the strings for Leverkusen despite being just 20, found Adli who blasted home confidently to double the lead.
Leverkusen scored a third after winning the ball back and working it quickly to Wirtz, who shed a defender and finished past Florian Kastenmeier.
After 60 minutes, Patrik Schick's header connected with the hand of Duesseldorf's Matthias Zimmerman, with the referee pointing to the spot after a VAR review.
Kastenmeier guessed correctly but Wirtz's shot was perfectly tucked inside the left post, and the home fans broke out into chants of "Berlin, we're going to Berlin" for May's cup final.
D.Cunningha--AMWN