When will the big sensation happen?
Bayern's shock is already over, Augsburg averts embarrassment with a goal
1. FC Saarbrücken cannot repeat its cup fairytale: last year's sensational semi-finalists lost this time in a penalty thriller in the first round. FC Augsburg, the twelfth Bundesliga team, is also through, albeit with difficulty. Last season, four Bundesliga teams failed to reach the promotion hurdle against lower-class opponents, and now all eleven first division teams that have started so far are through. Champion and cup winner Bayer Leverkusen and runner-up VfB Stuttgart are entering the competition late.
Viktoria Berlin – FC Augsburg 1:4 (1:1)
Thanks to an improvement in performance, FC Augsburg averted their second first round exit in the DFB Cup in a row. The Fuggerstadt team won against regional league team Viktoria Berlin 4-1 (1-1) after an early deficit and moved into the second round. Last year, the Bundesliga club surprisingly failed at the start of the season against SpVgg Unterhaching (0-2).
Elvis Rexhbecaj (33'), Samuel Essende (53'), Niklas Dorsch (87') and Phillip Tietz (90'+2) turned the game in favor of Augsburg, where right-back Marius Wolf, who came from Borussia Dortmund, played his competitive game – debuted. Aidan Liu (4th) gave Berlin an early lead in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.
After a corner, Liu shot in from close range to give Berlin the lead, and it looked like the Bundesliga club would be eliminated again early. The FCA subsequently took control of the game and pushed for an equalizer. Tietz missed it with a header on the post (24'), Rexhbecaj did better a little later after Tietz's assist. The eye-catching Tietz had the 2-1 on his feet before the break, but Liu blocked the attacker's shot on the line (42').
After the break, Essende, who came from Portuguese club FC Vizela, put the Bundesliga club on the road to victory after a pass from Arne Maier. As a result, coach Jess Thorup's team managed the lead cleverly, and the Berliners hardly appeared on the offensive anymore. Dorsch and Tietz made the decision.
1. FC Saarbrücken – 1. FC Nürnberg 3:5 iE (1:1, 0:1)
Coach Miroslav Klose and his 1. FC Nürnberg prevented 1. FC Saarbrücken's next fairytale run in the DFB Cup right from the start. The second division team beat last season's semi-finalists 5-3 on penalties. After 120 minutes the score was 1:1 (1:1, 1:0). Christian Mathenia saved against Saarbrücken's Manuel Zeitz in the penalty shootout, then Rafael Lubach made the decision.
In the early stages, Michael Sevcik (12th) scored the opening goal for the favorites – and it was extremely worth seeing. The Czech hit the top left corner from around 20 meters and gave Phillip Menzel no chance in the Saarbrücken goal. Shortly before the end, Kai Brünker (80th) countered artistically.
With the lead behind them, the favorite managed the game without taking any major risks. Saarbrücken remained within striking distance, but had great difficulty creating a goal threat. It was only after a good hour that Saarbrücken had their first significant chance: Simon Stehle (57th) was denied by Mathenia.
Ondrej Karafiat (74th) could have increased the score to 2-0 for Nuremberg a little later. Menzel fended off his header. That took revenge: The Saarbrücken team, who had eliminated Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt last year, equalized with Brünker's brilliant shot while falling.
