News (engl.)

Saturday evening produced the first shock of this season’s DFB-Pokal first round. Newly promoted third-tier side SG Sonnenhof Großaspach, who had a man advantage going into extra time, beat Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 on penalties (2-2 a.e.t.). RB Leipzig made sure of victory early on in a 6-0 win away to fourth-tier Eintracht Trier, while Holstein Kiel won 2-0 at 1860 München.

Reule the hero in the shootout

Elias Rahn gave Großaspach a deserved lead in the 12th minute against a Bielefeld team who had been caught napping. A set piece brought the second-tier outfit back into the game, however. Maximilian Bauer flicked on a corner and Stefano Russo was left free in front of goal to head home (40’). Buoyed by the equaliser, Arminia then turned the game around before half time, Joel Grodowski firing in with a powerful effort in the 42nd minute to make it 2-1.

Arminia were unable to carry their momentum from the end of the first half into the second. Referee Felix Bickel pointed to the spot in the 54th minute after a handball by Bielefeld’s Joel Felix, with Fabian Eisele calmly finding the bottom-left corner from the resulting penalty to make it 2-2 (55’). Felix was then shown a second yellow card in stoppage time after a late tackle, meaning Arminia went into extra time with ten men against a Großaspach side still playing with plenty of confidence.

Neither side could find a winner, meaning penalties were required. Großaspach converted their first two spot kicks, while home goalkeeper Maximilian Reule saved both of Bielefeld’s opening penalties. Bleicher made it 3-0 in the shootout before Arminia’s Uldrikis fired over, sending Großaspach into the second round of the DFB-Pokal for the first time.

Leipzig make flying start in Trier

Leipzig got off to the perfect start at fourth-tier Eintracht Trier’s Moselstadion, taking the lead in the second minute when Brajan Gruda converted Ezechiel Banzuzi’s pass from close range. Willi Orban doubled the advantage four minutes later, with Gruda this time providing the assist (6’). An own goal rounded off the scoring before the break, Ridle Baku’s long-range effort taking a decisive deflection off Trier’s Gianluca Pelzer to make it 3-0 (45’+2).

Conrad Harder added a fourth in the 76th minute after being set up by fellow substitute Rocco Reitz. Antonio Nusa made it 5-0 in stoppage time (90’+2), before Banzuzi completed the scoring at 6-0 (90’+5) to send RB Leipzig comfortably into the next round.

Harres puts Kiel on course for victory

An open contest developed between 1860 München and Holstein Kiel, with both sides creating a number of chances during the opening half-hour. The visitors were eventually rewarded when Phil Harres headed home in the 34th minute to give Kiel a deserved lead at the break.

The Munich side were unable to find a way back into the game before the final whistle. Goalkeeper Vitus Eicher went forward for a late free kick, but Kiel broke from the resulting attack and Guillermo Balzi finished off the counter to make it 2-0 (90’+4).