After a disappointing performance, Champions League starter Bayer Leverkusen left the DFB Cup in the first round. The Werkself lost 3: 4 (2: 3) at third division promoted SV Elversberg on Saturday and revealed many weaknesses a week before the Bundesliga opener. Jannik Rochelt in the 2nd minute, Kevin Koffi (17th) with a penalty kick, Luca Schnellbacher (37th) and Kevin Conrad (74th) scored in front of 7414 spectators for the courageous outsider. Goals from Adam Hlozek (5th), Charles Aránguiz (30th) and Patrik Schick (89th) were not enough for Bayer to advance.
The game started five minutes late due to a broken goal net. When it finally started, it took less than 120 seconds until the first goal scream. Rochelt walked through the Bayer defense with the ball at his feet and beat the visiting goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with a low shot.
The joy at the early lead didn't last long, however, as Leverkusen responded immediately. Newcomer Hlozek hammered the ball into the net from 18 meters for a quick equaliser. Elversberg's goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof didn't look good in the scene, but then distinguished himself twice with great reflexes against Leverkusen striker Schick.
The third-division leaders held out strongly and took the lead again. Aránguiz brought goalscorer Rochelt down in the penalty area and Koffi converted the penalty. Aránguiz made up for that mistake after half an hour to make it 2-2 on assist from Sardar Azmoun. Two minutes later, Azmoun hit the post.
And the wild ride continued. Now it was SVE's turn again. Koffi fired his way down the left flank and fitted into the middle, where Schnellbacher completed at full speed. Again the Bayer defense did not look good.
Leverkusen coach Gerardo Seoane reacted during the break and brought on two new midfielders in Paulinho and Kerem Demirbay. The game didn't get any better for the guests. Rather, the home side continued to have the better chances and were rewarded for their efforts with Conrad's goal. Schick's connection just before the end was too late for a turn.
For Steffen Baumgart and 1. FC Köln, the long-awaited trip to Berlin is already over after the first stop. The Rhinelanders fought back after a 2-0 loss at SSV Jahn Regensburg, but were unable to avert their defeat in the first round of the DFB Cup in a 3-4 penalty shoot-out. After extra time, the passionate cup fight on Saturday was 2-2 (2-2, 1-2).
"It's really shit today, both sportingly and economically," admitted the new managing director, Christian Keller, after leaving. Keller had previously worked in a responsible position at the second division club for many years.
"This game shouldn't even go into a penalty shoot-out," said Keller, referring to "five, six, seven" chances when Cologne should have scored the third goal "against an opponent who is fighting self-sacrificingly".
The stubborn leaders of the second division can now hope for a similarly furious cup trip as in 2020/2021, when after three wins on penalties it was only in the quarter-finals that the final stop was reached. Goalkeeper Dejan Stovanovic saved against Julian Chabot and finally Kingsley Ehizibue, on the other side Cologne's Timo Horn could not be overcome only by Benedikt Saller.
Andreas Albers (18th minute) and Prince Owusu (27th) quickly put Cologne under enormous pressure in front of 13,236 spectators in Regensburg. One week before the start of the Bundesliga against FC Schalke 04, Mark Uth (28th) and Dejan Ljubicic (63rd) gave the guests hope for a conciliatory debut in a competitive game.
The Regensburgers continued their top start in the 2nd Bundesliga with two wins and combined well in front of the goal of keeper Horn. A measured cross from Leon Guwara nodded Albers to 1-0 for the poisonous hosts. Maximilian Thalhammer made it 2-0 by winning the ball in midfield against Cologne's Chabot. Owusu let the Regensburg fans cheer again.
Baumgart had given the final in Berlin as a goal. “As a coach, I never got past the quarter-finals. My personal goal is to be in the final in Berlin at some point,” said the coach of the Rhinelanders, who were wearing blue jerseys, before the exchange of blows, which is well worth seeing.
Cologne, where captain Jonas Hector only came on in the second half, fought back. They did not want to fail again on penalties at the Upper Palatinate as they did in February 2021 when they were eliminated in the round of 16. Only seconds after the 0:2, Uth made the connection with a left hammer from 18 meters.
The 30-year-old striker also initiated the equalizer for Cologne, who were now more willing to run. Ljubicic completed after playing with Florian Kainz.
Cologne became more and more game-determining, Regensburg hardly dangerous. Substitute captain Anthony Modeste (90.2) put a Uth free-kick on the crossbar. Jahn-Keeper Stovanovic saved from a few meters against Linton Maina (94th). From the point, however, the Regensburg team had stronger nerves.
Bundesliga relegated SpVgg Greuther Fürth has made a fool of himself again. The second division team, which was disappointing across the board, lost 0: 2 (0: 1) at the fifth division club Stuttgarter Kickers in Baden-Württemberg. Last year, the Franconians, who are still waiting for their first competitive win of the new season, failed at the start of the cup as a first division club at the regional league club SV Babelsberg 03.
Defender Denis Zagaria gave the Kickers a 1-0 lead in front of 7,280 spectators in the Gazi Stadium on the Waldau in the eighth minute against the lethargic visitors with an unstoppable header into the far corner. Substitute David Braig made everything clear shortly before the end after a counterattack (88th). While the hosts from the premier league were extremely aggressive and strong in tackles, Greuther Fürth showed far too little fighting spirit in the lost second division derby at 1. FC Nürnberg a week earlier. There was no sign of a difference of three leagues.
The DFB Cup trip of the second division soccer team Hamburger SV this season almost came to an end after the start. The last-time semi-finalist initially saved themselves in extra time at third division promoted SpVgg Bayreuth and finally won 3-1 (1-1, 0-1).
The non-stop attack in Hamburg after the break initially resulted in a number of missed chances in 1:1 by substitute Ransford Königsdörfer in the 83rd minute. In extra time, captain Sebastian Schonlau scored after a corner by Sonny Kittel in the penalty area from a turn (97').
The decision was then made by the again successful Königsdörfer (111th). The guests around the agile double packer Königsdörfer left the field in the Hans-Walter-Wild-Stadion, which was filled with 14,700 spectators, relieved after 120 minutes.
For a long time it looked as if Luke Hemmerich and goalkeeper Sebastian Kolbe would provide a surprising Bayreuth Cup Festival. Defender Hemmerich scored in the 16th minute with an untenable deflected free kick to make it 1-0. HSV goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes later even had to avert a Hamburger 0:2 deficit at the break when Alexander Nollenberger headed the ball.
The Hamburgers pressed the gas pedal in the second half. They created a number of scoring chances. Königsdörfer headed the crossbar (59'). Robert Glatzel failed to keep Kolbe strong (60th). The HSV lacked the serenity in front of the goal for a long time. The second division team only beat the brave Bayreuth team in extra time.
Second division side Hansa Rostock experienced a bankruptcy in the first round of the DFB Cup at North Regional League side VfB Lübeck. The Rostock team lost 0-1 (0-0) to their lower-class rivals on Saturday. VfB midfielder Tarik Gözüsirin scored the acclaimed winning goal in the 78th minute with a powerful shot from 16 meters. In the past twelve years, the Rostockers have failed in the first round for the tenth time. After the end of the game, some Hansa fans stormed the interior. Police forces pushed them back.
The game, which started late - a hole in the Rostock goal net had to be patched first - was not at the highest level. Goal scenes in front of 10,500 spectators in the sold-out Lohmühle stadium were rare for a long time. The Rostockers started more courageously, but the hosts held up surprisingly and the game was open. Hansa striker John Verhoek had the greatest opportunity just before the half-time break. However, his header only landed on the crossbar.
Two years ago, both teams had played together in the 3rd division. Hansa rose, Lübeck down. There was no visible difference of two classes when they met again. FC Hansa, who had won 1-0 at Hamburger SV a week earlier, were more dangerous and had more of the game, but VfB scored the winning goal.
A late goal saved Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg from an early end in the DFB Cup. The team of new coach Niko Kovac drew 1-0 (0-0) at regional league club FC Carl Zeiss Jena thanks to Omar Marmoush's goal shortly before the end.
SC Paderborn easily reached the second round. The second division team celebrated a 10-0 (3-0) win at the away game at fifth-division FC Unity Wernigerode on Saturday. Marvin Pieringer, who was loaned out from FC Schalke 04 this week, scored four times (40th/50th/53rd/90th minute). The other goals were scored twice by Julian Justvan (7th/47th) and Robert Leipertz (10th/57th) as well as Dennis Srebeny (49th) and Richmond Tachie (67th) in front of 5000 spectators.
The hosts had big plans against Paderborn, but the Harzer defense bulwark only lasted seven minutes. With their double strike, Justvan and Leipertz opened the gate to the second round after just ten minutes. Shortly before the break, Pieringer increased to 3:0. The outsider only appeared dangerously once in the opposing penalty area. But Moritz Singbeil's shot (38') missed the Paderborn goal.
After the change of sides, the home side collapsed completely. Within just twelve minutes, Justvan, Srebeny, Leipertz and two Pieringers turned the result to 8:0. The strong goalkeeper André Helmstedt prevented the underdog from an even greater defeat with several saves.
1. FC Heidenheim got off to a good start in the cup competition after an excellent start with two wins in the 2nd Bundesliga. Coach Frank Schmidt's team struggled to score 2-0 (0-0) against regional league club FV Illertissen on Saturday. Patrick Mainka (57th minute) and Adrian Beck (81st) scored in a tough game in front of 3500 spectators in the Vöhlin Stadium.
Only around 50 kilometers separate Illertissen and Heidenheim. In that respect it was almost a local derby. The Bavarian-Swabian fourth division tried to balance the playful advantages of the Heidenheim pros with willingness to run and fight. That worked well in the first half. Greater chances to score were largely absent.
Even after the break, there was no discernible two-class difference. In the end, Heidenheim acted more maturely than when Mainka headed the ball after a corner. Illertissen's Tim Bergmiller had a good chance to equalise. He aimed a little too high from an acute angle (66'). After Florian Pick hit the bar (78th), teammate Beck made the decision after a counterattack. In the end it was a deserved work victory for the favorite.
That was close. Second division FC St. Pauli has trembled in the second round of the DFB Cup. On Saturday, coach Timo Schultz's team struggled to a 4:3 (2:2) at regional league club SV Straelen. Only a billiard goal by Jakov Medic in the last minute of regular time gave the guests the mandatory victory. Eric Smith (25th), Medic (40th) and substitute David Otto (63rd) had previously scored for the favorite. Manolis Saliakas saw the red card in the 77th minute for rough play.
The Lower Rhine fourth division team of club boss Hermann Tecklenburg, the husband of women's national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, surprisingly took the lead through Jaron Vicario (19th). Until then, the guests had missed several good chances.
Straelen even had a great chance to make it 2-0, but Ken Mata carelessly missed it (22'). But even after St. Pauli had turned the game around, coach Sunday Oliseh's team didn't give up and equalized shortly after the 1-2 through Amoros Nshimirimana (42nd).
In the second round, St. Pauli initially played more dominantly, but got into trouble again after being sent off hard. Again Vicario (80th) used a bitter mistake by St. Pauli keeper Dennis Smarsch to equalize again. In the 90th minute Smith then fired a free kick against the post from which the ball bounced off Medic's back and happily into the goal in front.
VfL Bochum, on the other hand, did not show any weaknesses and made it through to the second round of the DFB Cup. Coach Thomas Reis' team won 3-0 (2-0) at regional league club Viktoria Berlin on Saturday. In front of 5573 spectators in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, the goals of Simon Zoller (18th minute) and Takuma Asano (22nd) provided clarity early on. Newcomer Philipp Hofmann made it 3-0 (65th). The Berlin state cup winner fought, but was too often overwhelmed with the game of the Ruhr area club.
Bochum's coach relied on almost the same team that started the last friendly against Antalyaspor (6-2). Only Jannes Horn was new in the starting XI. However, the newcomer from 1. FC Köln had to be replaced injured in the 27th minute. The Ukrainian Ivan Ordets started in central defense and, as already indicated by Reis, made his competitive debut for VfL.
At the regional league, coach Semih Keskin fielded an extremely young team. Only two players in the starting lineup were older than 23 years. The third division relegated has a massive upheaval behind it. That was evident from the start on the field. At first, VfL became dangerous mainly after corner kicks. In the 18th minute Kevin Stöger then sent Gerrit Holtmann into the penalty area with a nice pass. The 27-year-old played low to Zoller, who pushed the ball in from a good eleven yards.
The Bochum came into the game better and better and on other occasions. The defenders of the Berliners were too often not close enough to their opponents. Asano completed a nice combination on submission by Hofmann to make it 2-0. In the 36th minute, Christopher Theisen missed Viktoria's great chance to score the goal. The Berliners became bolder after the break, but ran into a counterattack that Hofmann completed after a cross from Zoller to make the final decision.
