Cottbus's backup goalkeeper sheds tears but subsequently transforms into the cup's triumphant figure
Energie Cottbus and SC Freiburg Advance in German Cup
In the first round of the 2025/26 DFB-Pokal, two German football teams, Energie Cottbus and SC Freiburg, secured their spots in the next round with impressive victories.
Energie Cottbus, a second-division side, faced Hannover 96, another second-division team, in Lausitz. The match started on a challenging note for Cottbus as their regular goalkeeper, Elias Bethke, sustained an injury during the warm-up and was unable to play. Stepping up to the challenge, backup goalkeeper Alexander Sebald delivered a stellar performance, saving a crucial penalty and several other chances to secure a 1-0 win for Cottbus. Tolcay Cigerci scored the only goal of the match in the 12th minute.
Meanwhile, Hannover's Benjamin Källman scored a goal in added time (90+1), but it was disallowed due to offside. This unfortunate turn of events marked the third consecutive first-round elimination for Hannover 96 in the DFB-Pokal in Lausitz.
SC Freiburg, on the other hand, faced fourth-tier Sportfreunde Lotte and emerged victorious with a score of 2-0 (1-0). Eren Dinkçi and Lucas Höler scored for Freiburg, with Dinkçi's goal coming after dangerous situations created by Johan Manzambi and Vincenzo Grifo. There were no specific goalkeeper incidents reported for Freiburg in this match.
Elsewhere, VfB Lübeck, a team struggling financially and fielding a team of inexperienced players, faced SV Darmstadt 98. Matej Maglica scored for Darmstadt in the 34th minute, and Fraser Hornby added another in the 73rd minute. However, Lübeck managed to pull one back when Pierre Becken, one of their most experienced players and also a co-trainer, scored a late goal in the 90+2 minute. Despite this, it was not enough to avoid a 1-2 loss.
Avoiding relegation to the Schleswig-Holstein Oberliga is currently Lübeck's only season goal. In contrast, both Energie Cottbus and SC Freiburg have moved on to the second round of the DFB-Pokal, with Cottbus reaching this stage for the first time since 2013.
The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of measures in question, as the focus of sports authorities remains on the progression of football teams in Germany. For instance, Energie Cottbus, a second-division side, recently advanced to the next round of the DFB-Pokal, marking their first entry into this stage since 2013.
