News (engl.)

Six more favourites progressed in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on Sunday afternoon. Union Berlin had to come from behind to win 4-2 at Eintracht Braunschweig, while Bundesliga sides Mainz 05 and Borussia Mönchengladbach recorded emphatic 9-0 and 5-0 victories over VfB Krieschow and TSV Schott Mainz respectively. Darmstadt 98 edged fourth-tier Carl Zeiss Jena 2-1, while fellow 2. Bundesliga sides Dynamo Dresden and 1. FC Magdeburg eased through with 6-0 and 4-0 wins over Westfalia Rhynern and Bahlinger SC.

Ljubicic double turns it around for Union

Braunschweig took the lead after 11 minutes when Max Marie controlled a cross, turned well and fired a low shot home (11’). Union responded and levelled from Josip Juranovic’s corner, with new signing Zeno van den Bosch heading in (31’).

Marie restored Braunschweig’s lead after combining with Manuel Entrup (54’), but Union hit back from another Juranovic corner as Tom Rothe made it 2-2 (63’). Marin Ljubicic then headed in after goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffmann had made the initial save to put Union ahead for the first time (72’). Braunschweig pushed for an equaliser, but Ljubicic struck again in added time to seal a 4-2 win (90’+4).

Four-goal Tietz leads Mainz rout

Krieschow made a lively start, but Mainz took control once Phillip Tietz headed in Phillipp Mwene’s cross (19’). Tietz added a second seven minutes later (26’) before completing his hat-trick from another Mwene delivery (32’). Nadiem Amiri (39’) and Sheraldo Becker (43’) made it 5-0 by half time.

Amiri scored a superb free-kick from around 35 yards shortly after the restart (48’), before Tietz headed in his fourth of the afternoon (57’). Substitute Ransford Königsdörffer scored his first Mainz goal to make it 8-0 (73’), and William Böving completed the scoring late on (88’).

Bolin shines in Gladbach victory

Borussia Mönchengladbach dominated from the outset against TSV Schott Mainz at the MEWA Arena and took the lead through Hugo Bolin (22’). Daiki Hashioka doubled the advantage three minutes later (25’).

Bolin struck again shortly after half time (48’) before setting up Lukas Ullrich for the fourth (61’). Franck Honorat then found Wael Mohya, who made it 5-0 from close range (67’) as the Foals comfortably booked their place in round two.

Söder stunner not enough for Jena

Carl Zeiss Jena started brightly at the ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld, but Darmstadt went ahead through Milan Smit’s low strike from distance (11’). Jena equalised in spectacular fashion when Elias Söder volleyed in from around 35 yards with Marcel Schuhen off his line (39’). Darmstadt responded almost immediately, however, with Lance Duivestijn restoring their lead two minutes later (41’).

The visitors kept Jena at arm’s length after the break and held on to their 2-1 lead to progress.

Dynamo cruise past Rhynern

Westfalia Rhynern competed well in the opening stages at Münster’s LVM-Preußenstadion, but Dynamo Dresden took the lead after eight minutes when Jonas Sterner headed in from a corner (8’). The 2. Bundesliga side doubled their advantage soon afterwards, quickly turning defence into attack before captain Niklas Hauptmann finished low into the corner (17’).

Dresden then took complete control. Vincent Vermeij made it 3-0 on the half-hour mark (30’), Ben Bobzien added a fourth four minutes later (34’) and Kaan Inanoglu sent Dynamo into the break with a 5-0 lead (39’). Robert Wagner completed the scoring shortly after the restart (54’) as Dresden comfortably booked their place in round two.

Two braces see Magdeburg through

1. FC Magdeburg made an early breakthrough at Bahlingen’s Kaiserstuhlstadion, with Mateusz Zukowski finishing from close range after just five minutes. Bahlinger SC responded well and made life difficult for the visitors, but Magdeburg doubled their lead when Falko Michel headed in Baris Atik’s cross (31’). Zukowski then produced a fine finish shortly before half time to make it 3-0 and complete his brace (44’).

Bahlingen continued to take the game to Magdeburg after the break and enjoyed a number of promising attacks, but the next goal again went to the visitors. Michel scored his second of the afternoon to make it 4-0 (77’), completing a comfortable first-round win for Magdeburg.