Bayer Leverkusen travel to Elversberg as the clear favorite in the first round of the DFB Cup. The third division climber shows a great performance and surprises above all offensively. Hansa Rostock flies out of the fourth division, Hamburger SV averts the next cup embarrassment.
SpVgg Bayreuth - Hamburger SV 1: 3 (1: 1, 1: 0)
Second division club Hamburger SV only narrowly prevented an early exit from the DFB Cup after a mediocre start to the season. Last season's semi-finalists won their first-round game at third division promoted SpVgg Bayreuth only after extra time 3-1 (1-1, 0-1). The newly signed Joker Ransdorf-Yeboah Königsdörffer with a brace (83'/111') and captain Sebastian Schonlau (97') turned the game around in favor of coach Tim Walter's team. Luke Hemmerich (16th) had given the underdog the lead. In the league, HSV lost to Hansa Rostock after their opening win at Eintracht Braunschweig.
The Hanseatic League, who narrowly missed their first final in 35 years last season, started dominantly, but Bayreuth scored the first goal: HSV signing Filip Bilbija deflected a free kick from Hemmerich from 20 meters into his own goal.
The guests reacted insecurely and remained harmless offensively, Bayreuth hardly allowed a gap in front of their own goal. After the change of sides, only Königsdörffer and shortly afterwards striker Robert Glatzel missed great opportunities to equalize. Königsdörffer saved Hamburg in extra time, in which the favorite got better and better. Schonlau and again Königsdörffer let all Bayreuth's hopes burst, their midfielder Alexander Groiß saw yellow-red (113th).
SV Elversberg - Bayer Leverkusen 4: 3 (3: 2)
Defensively desolate, offensively wasteful: Bayer Leverkusen has to bury its cup dreams after the first round. Coach Gerardo Seoane's team lost the goal spectacle 3: 4 (2: 3) at the rebellious third division promoted SV Elversberg and failed at the opening hurdle for the first time in eleven years. The wait for the second triumph in the DFB Cup continues even after 30 years.
Jannik Rochelt (2'), Kevin Koffi (17', penalty kick), Luca Schnellbacher (37') and Kevin Conrad (74') sealed the eighth first-round knockout for the Werkself. The goals from Adam Hlozek (5th), Charles Aranguiz (30th) and Patrik Schick (89th) were not enough, for the league opener against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday an enormous improvement is necessary. The Saarlanders, for their part, advanced to the second round for the fifth time.
Top newcomer Hlozek scored directly with his first action, a flutter ball from 20 meters, goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof helped enormously to equalize. Rochelt had previously completed a perfect solo run into the far corner after just 118 seconds. A lively game developed with chances for both sides, because the Saarland Cup winner acted extremely courageously.
Rochelt in particular caused Bayer problems, Aranguiz could only stop him in the penalty area with a foul. Koffi loaded Lukas Hradecky ice cold. On the defensive, SVE was a bit overwhelmed by the pace of Leverkusen, after three missed chances by Patrik Schick (11th/19th/23rd) Aranguiz scored from five meters. But Schnellbacher responded after a perfect cross pass from Koffi.
Leverkusen didn't appear more stable in front of 7414 spectators even after a double change at the break, it was an open exchange of blows. The Saarlanders seemed even more dangerous. Schnellbacher (49') and Robin Fellhauer (51') missed great chances before Conrad scored from a corner. Schick's connection goal was not enough.
SSV Jahn Regensburg - 1. FC Cologne 4: 3 on pens (2: 2, 2: 1)
Disillusionment at 1. FC Köln: The European Cup starter surprisingly failed in the first round, coach Steffen Baumgart has to bury his dream of the final in Berlin after the first game. The Rhinelanders lost 4-3 on penalties at second-division leaders Jahn Regensburg, after extra time it was 2-2 (2-2, 1-2).
Andreas Albers (18th) and Prince Osei Owusu (27th) gave their team the lead in front of 13,236 fans in Regensburg's Jahnstadion. Mark Uth (28th) and Dejan Ljubicic (63rd) scored the equalizer. Benedikt Gimber secured SSV Jahn's success on penalties. Regensburg were the expected strong opponents for Cologne, consistently exploited the mistakes made by the Bundesliga team and had stronger nerves in the penalty shoot-out.
In the first few minutes, many minor fouls disrupted the flow of the game, so there were rarely any big chances to score. In the 15th minute, Regensburg came dangerously in front of Timo Horn's goal for the first time, and how. After a cross pass from Owusu, Mees pushed the ball past the empty goal to the astonishment of the fans. However, Jahn didn't let that stop him. Only a few minutes later, Albers headed into the goal completely unprotected.
Cologne was visibly unsettled after the goal, Regensburg knew how to use this. After Skhiri lost the ball, Owusu completed the resulting counterattack from the inside right position to make it 2-0. This time, however, Cologne had a quick answer ready: Uth got the ball 20 meters from the goal, didn't hesitate and shot the ball into the corner for Jahn goalkeeper Stojanovic.
At the beginning of the second half, as at the end of the first half, Cologne tried to equalize. Again and again FC managed to set needle pricks, but the Baumgart team was (initially) denied a goal. In the middle of the second half, Ljubicic then rewarded Cologne's efforts and pushed in to equalize. Cologne's Anthony Modeste (90.2) hit the crossbar of the Jahn goal. In the end, however, the hosts celebrated.
VfB Lübeck - Hansa Rostock 1:0 (0:0)
Second division club Hansa Rostock was torn from all cup dreams in the northern duel at regional division club VfB Lübeck. The Mecklenburgers lost 0-1 (0-0) at the fourth division, Tarik Gözüsirin (78th) scored the decisive goal. In the fourth minute, FC Hansa had a great chance to score the opener in front of 10,351 spectators in the sold-out Lübeck stadium. But Nils Fröling failed because of VfB keeper Florian Kirschke. In the 36th minute, Rostock's John Verhoek had a chance to head the ball, but his bounce went just wide of the left post. Nine minutes later, Verhoek hit the crossbar of the Lübeck goal with a head.
In the 62nd minute, Rostock's Nils-Jonathan Körber snuffed out a good chance for the home side, deflecting a Felix Drinkuth shot over the bar. There was no sign of a two-class difference. VfB acted very skillfully with a lot of willingness to run and repeatedly disturbed the offensive efforts of Rostock.
Eintracht Wernigerode - SC Paderborn 0:10 (0:3)
The goal-hungry second division SC Paderborn has reached the second round in overdrive. The East Westphalians celebrated a 10-0 (3-0) thrashing victory at the overwhelmed Oberliga side FC Unity Wernigerode. Julian Justvan (7'/47'), Robert Leipertz (11'/58'), Marvin Pieringer (40'/50'/53'/90'), Dennis Srbeny (49') and Richmond Tachie (67') scored the goals of the guests.
Paderborn started concentrated and quickly set the course for victory with Justvan and Leipertz. Shortly before the break, Pieringer, who was only loaned out by Bundesliga club Schalke 04 on Thursday, followed up. Even after the change, Paderborn had everything under control and quickly increased the result. The underdog came only sporadically to attacks.
FV Illertissen - 1. FC Heidenheim 0:2 (0:0)
After the perfect start in the 2nd Bundesliga, 1. FC Heidenheim also kept a clean sheet in the cup. In the long-fought neighborhood duel at regional league club FV Illertissen from Neu-Ulm, coach Frank Schmidt's team won 2-0 (0-0). Captain Patrick Mainka (57th) and substitute Adrian Beck (81st) scored the goals for Heidenheim, who started the league with two wins. The Baden-Württembergers last reached the second round in 2019.
In a lively early phase, the fourth division team, who started with two defeats, kept up well, a 25-metre shot by full-back Philipp Boyer presented Heidenheim's substitute goalkeeper Vitus Eicher with problems for the first time. Despite slight playful advantages, the guests were unable to seize control. Kevin Sessa failed with a low shot by Illertissen's keeper Michael Wagner (53'), then Mainka redeemed Heidenheim with a header after a corner. Substitutes Tim Bergmiller (66') and Hannes Pöschl (80') missed good opportunities to equalize before Beck made everything clear a few seconds later.
