News (engl.)

Third-division side Rot-Weiss Essen delivered another upset in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, knocking recently relegated FC St. Pauli out of the cup with a 2-0 win on home turf. Meanwhile, Bundesliga sides SC Freiburg and SC Paderborn 07 both booked their places in the second round. Freiburg ran out 5-1 winners away to third-tier Fortuna Düsseldorf, while Paderborn overcame Regionalliga side 1. FC Phönix Lübeck, securing a 4-2 victory on the road.

Essen and St. Pauli looked evenly matched at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße, with the visitors creating the first big chance after 19 minutes. Martijn Kaars found himself unmarked, but only succeeded in sending his effort over the empty Essen net. Kaars had another chance to open the scoring in the 31st minute, but again fired too high from 12 yards out.

Not long after, Essen’s Marek Janssen made no such mistake at the other end. The forward was initially denied by St. Pauli goalkeeper Ben Voll (33'), but made no mistake at the second attempt, heading home from close range (36'). Branimir Hrgota (42') and again Kaars (45+2') both missed chances to level proceedings. Shortly after the restart, RWE once again proved to be more clinical in front of goal. Meeting a pinpoint cross, Samir Telalovic fired into the top corner from 15 yards to make it 2-0 (53').

Freiburg cruise through in Düsseldorf

Freiburg had to wait until the 18th minute against a Fortuna side who had made a lively start, but then struck with ruthless efficiency. Patrick Osterhage sent the ball from the byline into the six-yard box, where Lukas Höler reacted rapidly to poke it home. Last season's Europa League finalists could have doubled their lead ten minutes later, but Fortuna goalkeeper Louis Lord stood firm in a one-on-one with Yuito Suzuki.

The visitors remained on top after the break, but Vincenzo Grifo (49') and Höler (52') both missed chances to make it 2-0. Substitute Igor Matanovic finally came up with a second for his side in the 71st minute, before Lukas Kübler added another three minutes later (74'). Fortuna pulled one back through Fabian Schleusener (76'), but Jordy Makengo struck true on 80 minutes to restore Freiburg's three-goal cushion. Matanovic rounded off the scoring in stoppage time (90+4').

Paderborn comfortably overcome a spirited Lübeck side

In Lübeck, Jano ter Horst (22') rewarded a dominant opening spell from Paderborn, poking the ball in after a corner delivery. Santiago Castaneda appeared to put the newly promoted Bundesliga side firmly in control with another set-piece goal (41'), but shortly after, Moritz Kretzer managed to give the underdogs a fighting chance with a superb first-time strike from 18 yards out (43').

The Regionalliga side threw everything at Paderborn after the break, but it was SCP who succeeded in scoring next. Stefano Marino pounced on a rebound to make it 3-1 (61'). Gabriel Vidovic added a fourth ten minutes later (71'), before an own goal from Tjark Scheller gave Lübeck a second (75').