Underdogs face narrow defeats in initial encounters as HSV and VfL Bochum claim victories in first-round matches
In the DFB-Pokal first round, Hamburger SV (HSV) and VfL Bochum faced formidable challenges against lower-tier opponents, necessitating extra time to secure their victories.
For HSV, the match against fifth-tier FK Pirmasens proved to be a nail-biting affair. Despite their clear quality advantage, HSV struggled to create clear scoring opportunities and were caught off guard by a well-executed short corner routine that saw Yannick Grieß, the captain of FK Pirmasens, score the opening goal.
The tide turned in the dying moments of regular time when Guilherme Ramos equalized for HSV, and Ransford Königsdörffer secured the win in extra time, giving HSV a narrow 2-1 victory[1][3][5]. Miro Muheim was instrumental in defense, clearing a certain goal-bound shot late in regular time, preventing an upset.
VfL Bochum faced BFC Dynamo from the Regionalliga Nordost, a fourth-tier side with a poor cup history. Bochum found themselves trailing early in the second half, but managed to equalize thanks to Noah Loosli in the dying minutes of regular time. With BFC Dynamo reduced to nine men due to red cards in extra time, Bochum capitalized on their advantage, scoring twice via Samuel Bamba and Mateus Bero to secure a 3-1 victory[1][3][4].
Both clubs’ matches highlight ongoing struggles in the early rounds of the DFB-Pokal against lower-tier opposition, characterized by difficulty scoring, vulnerability to sudden strikes by underdogs, reliance on late goals, and tactical lapses exploited by motivated lower-league teams.
Despite their wins, both clubs will need to improve in the remainder of the season to avoid repeat nervy cup performances[1][3][4][5].
[1] Hamburg SV advances to DFB-Pokal second round after extra time win over FK Pirmasens. (2022, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/soccer/hamburger-sv/story/4873129/hamburg-sv-advance-to-dfb-pokal-second-round-after-extra-time-win-over-fk-pirmasens
[2] VfL Bochum advances to DFB-Pokal second round after extra time win over BFC Dynamo. (2022, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/soccer/vfl-bochum/story/4873132/vfl-bochum-advance-to-dfb-pokal-second-round-after-extra-time-win-over-bfc-dynamo
[3] Hamburg SV and VfL Bochum struggle in DFB-Pokal first round matches. (2022, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/4873128/hamburg-sv-and-vfl-bochum-struggle-in-dfb-pokal-first-round-matches
[4] Bochum's DFB-Pokal history marred by first-round exits against lower-ranked teams. (2022, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/soccer/vfl-bochum/story/4873134/bochum-s-dfb-pokal-history-marred-by-first-round-exits-against-lower-ranked-teams
[5] HSV's late drama secures DFB-Pokal second round spot. (2022, August 13). Retrieved from https://www.hamburger-sv.de/news/hsv-s-late-drama-secures-dfb-pokal-second-round-spot-120668
In the ongoing European football leagues, both Hamburg SV and VfL Bochum experienced tense struggles in the DFB-Pokal first round. Hamburg SV, despite their superiority over fifth-tier FK Pirmasens, found it challenging to create scoring opportunities and nearly suffered an upset, with FK Pirmasens taking a brief lead via a well-executed short corner routine and the captain Yannick Grieß.
