DFB-Pokal First Round Round-Up

Germany’s DFB-Pokal (Cup) got underway this weekend with sixty four teams comprising of last seasons Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga sides, the top four teams from last season’s 3.Liga, and varying other selected teams including the winners of Germany’s Regional Cup competitions with these usually open to teams from the third tier and below. The competition is seeded and lower-ranked teams are given home advantage.

On Friday night there was a trio of matches. 1985 pokal winners third tier KFC Uerdingen temporarily playing their home games in Düsseldorf whilst their own ground is being upgraded went down 2-0 to top flight visitors in the shape of Borussia Dortmund whilst 3.Liga side FC Ingolstadt lost 1-0 to 1. FC Nürnberg of the 2. Bundesliga and Borussia Mönchengladbach won 1-0 at second tier side SV Sandhausen thanks to a nineteenth minute goal.

Saturday saw two Bundesliga giants suffer defeat at the hands of lower division opposition. 1. FSV Mainz 05 went down 2-0 away at third tier 1. FC Kaiserslautern who were themselves in the top flight no so long ago. A 53rd minute penalty from Manfred Starke put the home side in front and they grabbed a second in the 90th minute. A crowd of 4,198 packed into the Sportclub Arena as Regionalliga minnows SV Verl appearing in the pokal for the first time in nine years hosted FC Augsburg, the home side were 2-0 up after 23 minutes and although the visitors pulled one back from the penalty spot seven minutes from time Verl held on for a famous victory.

Third tier Würzburger Kickers lost to top flight opposition on penalties, the club came from 2-0 down to force extra-time at home to 1899 Hoffenheim and goals for Hoffenheim on 99 minutes and Würzburger on 114 minutes saw the tie finish 3-3 before Würzburger missed two penalties to lose the shoot out 5-4 in front of over 10000 spectators at the Flyeralarm Arena.

It was a case of tenth time still unlucky for fifth tier FC 08 Villingen, the club had appeared in the competition nine times previously and lost in the first round on each occasion - appearance number ten would not halt that run though the club did not disgrace themselves Over 8000 spectators saw them take a 42nd minute lead from the spot at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf but the visitors ran out 3-1 winners after extra-time.
Amongst other results, Saturday also saw comfortable wins for Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04.

On Sunday, 2-0 and then 3-1 down Regionalliga side SV Rödinghausen forced extra-time at home to Bundesliga returnees SC Paderborn thanks to a brace from Lars Lokotsch. But with no further goals, the tie ended 3-3 and the visitors won 4-2 on penalties to disappoint most of the 2,236 crowd at the Häcker Wiehenstadion. Three more matches on Sunday were decided on penalties. Newly promoted second tier side Wehen Wiesbaden came from 2-0 down to secure a draw with 1. FC Köln and came from 3-2 down in extra-time to force a shoot out which they lost 3-2 whilst third tier Chemnitzer FC lost 6-5 on penalties to second tier Hamburger SV after a 2-2 draw. As for the third shoot out, 2. Bundesliga side FC St. Pauli came from 2-0 down after 55 minutes to lead fourth tier VfB Lübeck 3-2 in extra-time but Lübeck then equalised to force the penalty kicks and St. Pauli won the shoot-out 4-3. Lübeck's previous pokal appearance had seen them lose 3-0 to the same opposition three years earlier.

Second tier VfL Osnabrück lost 3-2 at home to RB Leipzig whilst Leipzig were joined in round two by fellow Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen, Hertha BSC, and Union Berlin who all won comfortably on Sunday.

Monday saw the final games of round one and Mathias Fetsch scored in the second minute of injury time to secure a 3-3 draw and extra-time for third tier Hallescher FC against top flight VfL Wolfsburg, but Wolfsburg scored twice in extra-time to win 5-3. Holders FC Bayern München meanwhile won 3-1 at fourth tier FC Energie Cottbus.

Results in full: