News (engl.)

The wait for the first upset of this season’s DFB-Pokal goes on, although two third-tier sides came agonisingly close in penalty shootouts. Viktoria Köln were eventually beaten 5-4 on penalties by second-tier 1. FC Nürnberg, while 1. FC Saarbrücken also lost from the spot, going down 4-2 to Hertha BSC. Both games finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and remained level after extra time.

MSV Duisburg also came close to causing an upset, but the 3. Liga leaders’ first DFB-Pokal appearance in six years ended in a 3-1 defeat to Bundesliga newcomers SV Elversberg following two late goals from the visitors. TSG Hoffenheim, meanwhile, lived up to their billing as favourites with a convincing 4-0 victory away to fourth-tier FC Erzgebirge Aue. Werder Bremen eased to a 3-0 win against fifth-tier Lüneburger SK Hansa, while Hannover 96 had no such first-round problems this time around after three successive opening-round exits, beating fellow fifth-tier side SV Hemelingen 9-1.

Nürnberg prevail on penalties 

Viktoria Köln more than held their own in the first half and created a string of chances against 2. Bundesliga leaders 1. FC Nürnberg. Nürnberg then struck after the restart, Piet Scobel turning and firing home from the edge of the box in the 57th minute. Meiko Sponsel initially passed up Viktoria’s best opportunity when clean through against FCN goalkeeper Jan Reichert in the 74th minute, but he made amends deep into stoppage time, levelling in the 96th minute to force extra time.

There were plenty of twists and turns in the shootout at Sportpark Höhenberg. Nürnberg appeared to be in trouble after Pascal Fallmann missed, only for Giannis Masouras and Javier Fernandez to send Viktoria’s next two penalties well over. Niklas Swider then also fired over when Köln had the chance to win it, sending the shootout into sudden death. After the next three penalties were converted, Niklas Jahn was denied by FCN goalkeeper Jan Reichert, confirming their spot in the next round. 

Late drama in Saarbrücken

Saarbrücken, who reached the DFB-Pokal semi-finals as a lower-division side in both 2020 and 2024, were initially pinned back by Hertha, although the visitors struggled to turn their dominance into chances. Hertha took the lead through a spectacular Paul Seguin strike in the 69th minute. Saarbrücken threw everything forward late on and were rewarded when Philip Fahrner equalised in the second minute of stoppage time to force extra time. Twenty minutes later, FCS goalkeeper Kevin Broll denied Luca Schuler with his face in the 112th minute to keep the scores level and send the game to penalties.

Saarbrücken captain Florian Pick and Kai Brünker both saw their efforts saved by Hertha keeper Marius Gersbeck, while all four of the Berlin side’s takers scored. 

Onyeka punishes Duisburg late on

Duisburg and Elversberg largely cancelled each other out in a game short on chances until Luca Schnellbacher struck for the newly promoted Bundesliga side, finishing from ten yards to put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute. Cole Campbell then missed the chance to double Elversberg’s advantage before the break, firing over when unmarked in first-half stoppage time. The game opened up after the restart as Lex-Tyger Lobinger levelled with an excellent individual effort in the 54th minute, giving the hosts renewed belief. Duisburg were then the side who looked far more likely to take the lead. Jan-Simon Symalla headed narrowly wide from a cross in the 78th minute before substitute Ramien Safi was denied one-on-one by SVE goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof two minutes later. Those misses proved costly. Elversberg were ruthless when their chances came, substitute Francis Onyeka striking twice late on to secure victory in the 88th minute and first minute of stoppage time.

Hoffenheim ease through 

Aue made a bright start, but favourites Hoffenheim quickly took control. Summer signing Patrick Wimmer finished off an excellent move in the sixth minute before Wouter Burger doubled the lead in the 17th against the side relegated from the 3. Liga last season. Wimmer added his second on the stroke of half time. Hoffenheim eased off after the break, but Max Moerstedt still added a fourth in the 64th minute to complete the scoring.

Werder’s new signings on target in first-round win 

Werder did not have to wait long for the breakthrough against Lüneburger SK Hansa at the Millerntor-Stadion, as Jens Stage headed home from a pinpoint corner in the 11th minute. The Lower Saxony side defended bravely against their dominant Bundesliga opponents, however, and managed to keep the deficit at one for the rest of the first half. Werder’s Niclas Füllkrug doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 53rd minute after Stage had been fouled, before Ludovit Reis put any lingering fears of another cup upset to bed in the 76th.

Hemelingen bow out after 9-1 loss

Having lost 9-0 to VfL Wolfsburg on their DFB-Pokal debut last season, SV Hemelingen fared little better against Hannover 96 at the Weserstadion, conceding six times before the break. Stefan Teitur Thordarson (5’, 20’), Lars Gindorf (11’, 39’), Marcel Hartel (16’) and Benedikt Pichler (22’) all scored for a Hannover side who had yet to win a competitive game this season. Gindorf completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute, before Hemelingen finally had something to celebrate when Ledjon Fikaj headed home a consolation goal three minutes later. After passing up a number of further chances, Hannover added two more late on through Pichler (88’) and Taycan Etcibasi (90’+1) to make it 9-1.