DFB Cup: HSV and Holstein Kiel celebrate away, BVB wins on penalties at Eintracht Frankfurt
Borussia Dortmund dashed Eintracht Frankfurt's cup dream early and can still hope for the coveted trip to Berlin at the end of the season. In the top clash of the second round, BVB prevailed 4-2 on penalties, sealing the elimination of the Hessian team, who missed the round of 16 in the DFB-Pokal for the first time in four years. After 120 minutes, the score was 1-1 (1-1, 0-1).
Frankfurt's Ritsu Doan and Fares Chaibi lost their nerve in the penalty shootout. The hosts had started so well, though. In front of 59,300 spectators, Ansgar Knauff gave Eintracht Frankfurt the lead in the seventh minute. But Julian Brandt (48') equalized for Dortmund, who have won the competition five times to date. Their most recent triumph came in 2021. With the win, the BVB players also treated their coach Niko Kovac to a wonderful evening of football at his old stomping ground.
After major problems in the Bundesliga, VfL Wolfsburg has now also suffered a disgrace in the DFB-Pokal. The Volkswagen club lost 0-1 (0-1) to second-division side Holstein Kiel in the second round at home.
VfL coach Paul Simonis and the increasingly controversial sporting director Peter Christiansen are now under massive pressure, as the impact of the fortunate 1-0 Bundesliga victory against Hamburger SV fizzled out just three days later. Wolfsburg defender Jenson Seelt received a questionable second yellow card in the 36th minute. Alexander Bernhardsson then scored for Kiel from the penalty spot (42nd minute).
In front of just 10,793 spectators, the relegated first division team was the better team from the start. Even before the sending off, Holstein had three good chances to take the lead through Lasse Rosenboom (3'), John Tolkin (12'), and Adrian Kapralik (13').
Benefiting from a red card and a goal from center forward Robert Glatzel, who has been underwhelming recently, Hamburger SV advanced to the round of 16. The Hanseatic club earned a deserved, but difficult, 1-0 (0-0) victory against 1. FC Heidenheim.
Substitute Glatzel decided the hard-fought clash between the two Bundesliga teams with a penalty in the 83rd minute. Heidenheim had to play the entire second half with a man down after defender Tim Siersleben was sent off for a late tackle in the 44th minute.
For FCH, who are also deep down in the league, it was already the seventh defeat in ten competitive matches of the season in front of 15,000 spectators.
Hertha BSC ended its losing streak against SV Elversberg with a dominant performance and can continue to dream of a final in their own stadium. The Berlin team beat their second-division rivals from Saarland 3-0 (1-0) at the Olympiastadion in front of just 32,092 spectators and advanced to the round of 16. The capital club had previously lost four games in a row against SV Elversberg.
Michael Cuisance gave Hertha an early lead in the 15th minute. After a cautious start, the Berlin side clearly dominated the game and deservedly secured the win. Striker Sebastian Grönning added another after the break (58th minute). Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson converted a penalty just before the final whistle (90+4).
RND/dpa
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