Last-minute scores secured: Cologne averted cup elimination
Second-Division Teams Shine in DFB-Pokal First Round
Last week saw the first round of the DFB-Pokal, Germany's premier football cup competition, and several second-division teams stole the show. Notable upsets and dominant performances marked the tournament, with several second-division sides advancing to the next round.
Magdeburg, Bochum, Hamburg, Heidenheim, and Darmstadt all delivered impressive performances. Magdeburg secured a strong 3-1 victory over Saarbrücken, while Bochum and Hamburg edged past BFC Dynamo and Pirmasens respectively, all in extra time. Heidenheim dominated Bahlinger SC with a 5-0 win, and Darmstadt narrowly beat Nürnberg 2-1.
The standout moments, however, came from Lübeck and Illertissen. Lübeck caused an upset by defeating Hannover 1-0, marking a surprising early elimination for the higher-ranked team. Illertissen, a lower-tier team, won on penalties (6-5) against Nürnberg after a 3-3 draw, highlighting a dramatic upset over a traditionally stronger opponent.
While some prominent Bundesliga teams also showed dominant performances against lower-tier teams, these were not second-division upsets as these are top-tier teams outperforming lower league sides.
In other matches, Sandro Wagner, former assistant to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, had a successful debut as coach, guiding Augsburg to a 2-0 win against Hallescher FC. 1. FC Cologne and FC Schalke 04 also secured wins, with Cologne beating Jahn Regensburg 2-1 and Schalke defeating 1. FC Lok Leipzig 1-0 in extra time.
Holstein Kiel, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Karlsruhe SC, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and SV Elversberg all progressed to the next round with wins against their lower-tier opponents. Kaiserslautern delivered an impressive 7-0 victory over RSV Eintracht 1949.
Eintracht Frankfurt, Frankfurt, and Borussia Mönchengladbach also advanced, with Frankfurt extending their lead against SSV Ulm with a 6-0 win. Mönchengladbach needed extra time to win against Atlas Delmenhorst, with Nico Elvedi scoring the winning goal.
Lukas Kwasniok, the new coach of 1. FC Cologne, celebrated a fortunate debut in his first official match. Borussia Mönchengladbach needed to come from behind twice to win their match against Atlas Delmenhorst, 3-2.
The second round of the DFB-Pokal promises to be just as exciting, with these second-division teams looking to continue their impressive form and potentially cause more upsets.
Football teams from the second division continued their impressive displays in the DFB-Pokal, as Lübeck and Illertissen showcased remarkable performances. Lübeck stunned Hannover with a 1-0 victory, while Illertissen ousted Nürnberg on penalties (6-5) following a 3-3 draw, highlighting more notable upsets.
