The first round of the DFB Cup is still waiting for its first sensation. With RB Leipzig and Union Berlin, two Bundesliga teams have to worry for a longer period of time, but at least Leipzig scores well late on. Others, on the other hand, complete their mandatory tasks confidently. This means that all of the top clubs that have started so far are through. 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.
Rot-Weiss Essen – RB Leipzig 1:4 (1:2)
An early shock, missed great opportunities in a row – and in the end the easy success with the third division team: The two-time DFB Cup winner RB Leipzig confidently mastered its opening hurdle at Rot-Weiss Essen after initial difficulties and celebrated a successful start to the season. However, in the 4:1 (2:1) win in the stadium on Hafenstrasse, Leipzig missed some big highlights – and had numerous opportunities.
After the cold shower from Essen's Ramien Safi's goal (2nd), Benjamin Sesko (12th) and Lois Openda (40th) turned the game around before the break. Under the watchful eye of iconic coach Otto Rehhagel, a native of Essen, the guests missed several great opportunities in the second half, making the game more exciting than necessary. Only with the goals from Antonio Nusa (84th) and Xavi Simons (87th) was everything clear.
The start in front of 17,000 spectators initially went anything but well for the overwhelming favorite. Safi evaded the advanced Leipzigers, kept his nerve in front of the goal and set Hafenstrasse on fire with his first action. But RB quickly recovered, trapped Essen in their own penalty area and equalized with a header from Sesko.
After the fast start, the game flattened out a bit, Leipzig let the ball run and Essen waited for a counterattack. Ahmet Arslan (19th) completed one of them with a powerful volley over the goal. On the other hand, a shot on goal from Simons (22') flew just past Jakob Golz's goal.
Despite the loud audience, Essen became increasingly passive, Leipzig took advantage of this before the break and took the lead after a nice combination via Sesko and Openda. After that, Leipzig was negligent with its chances of making the preliminary decision: Sesko (58th, 60th) missed his brace from close range twice. Openda (60th, 64th) also missed two top-class shots when he was denied by the keeper in front of Golz. Only in the final phase did RB become more determined again – and increased the result.
Greifswalder FC – 1. FC Union Berlin 0:1 (0:0)
Union Berlin struggled into the second round in the competitive debut of its new coach Bo Svensson. The Bundesliga club fought to a 1-0 (0-0) win against the brave regional league team Greifswalder FC in their first round game. The Berliners, who were too harmless offensively for a long time, had a hard time against the underdog at times.
Substitute Yorbe Vertessen (67th) shot Union into the next round. An emotional league premiere now awaits Svensson, who, as the successor to Urs Fischer and Nenad Bjelica, who were dismissed in the previous season, is supposed to make a new start after almost relegation. On Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky) the Dane will travel with Union to his former club FSV Mainz 05 for the Bundesliga opener.
The initial phase belonged to Greifswald. After a misunderstanding between Leopold Querfeld and goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow, Johannes Manske (3rd) could have taken the lead, but he didn't hit the ball correctly. Union only became more dangerous shortly before the break thanks to Danilho Doekhi (44th) and Andras Schäfer (45th + 2).
In the second half, too, Union didn't get in front of the opponent's goal very often, the guests controlled the ball and Greifswald defended in a disciplined and compact manner. A new impulse was needed – and Svensson should provide it. The 45-year-old brought, among other things, Vertessen, who scored his own goal two minutes after coming on as a substitute. After a one-two with Benedict Hollerbach, the Belgian moved into the penalty area and scored a remarkable shot. However, Greifswald remained in the game, but Soufian Benyamina (77th) only hit the crossbar.
FC 08 Villingen – 1. FC Heidenheim 0:4 (0:1)
1. FC Heidenheim mastered its opening hurdle confidently and got off to a successful start in its debut season in the European Cup. Led by three-goal scorer Maximilian Breunig, the Heidenheim team won 4-0 (1-0) against regional league newcomers FC 08 Villingen and gained important self-confidence before the historic play-off first leg in the Conference League at BK Häcken. On Thursday, coach Frank Schmidt's team will play their first competitive international game in Sweden.
The strong Breunig (42nd, 48th, 53rd) and Bayern loanee Paul Wanner (52nd) were mainly responsible for the successful dress rehearsal with their goals, which should not only make Schmidt confident. Despite the question marks surrounding his newly formed team.
FC Ingolstadt – 1. FC Kaiserslautern 1:2 (0:2)
Last year's finalist 1. FC Kaiserslautern moved into the second round despite being long outnumbered. The second division team won 2-1 (2-0) at FC Ingolstadt and could rely on Jannik Mause: The 26-year-old, who was the top goalscorer in the third division with 18 goals for the FCI in the previous season, scored against him Ex-team double (3rd, 36th). After the yellow-red card against Jan Gyamerah (49th), things got exciting again. But only Ryan Malone (88th) scored for Ingolstadt.
Previously, Kaiserslautern's goalkeeper Julian Krahl had prevented an earlier goal with strong saves. He made two outstanding saves against David Kopacz (57th, 59th). Krahl was also there for Marcel Costly's attempt (69'). Kaiserslautern found little relief when they were outnumbered. Ingolstadt pushed for the next goal, but the second division team fought against it with a lot of effort. Malone's goal came too late from the FCI's point of view.
VfL Osnabrück – SC Freiburg 0:4 (0:2)
Julian Schuster celebrated a successful debut as coach of SC Freiburg and moved into the second round with the Bundesliga club. With the successor of long-time successful coach Christian Streich on the sidelines, the favorite won 4-0 (2-0) at third division club VfL Osnabrück, but revealed some defensive sloppiness a week before the league opener against runner-up VfB Stuttgart.
Freiburg needed a good half hour to get going, but then made things clear with two quick goals: Lucas Höler (30th) and Vincenzo Grifo (33rd) gave the favorites a 2-0 lead. Junior Adamu (73', 90'+4) increased later.
Before the Freiburg double strike, the Osnabrück team, who had had a false start in the 3rd league with two defeats without scoring their own, had some good results. Niklas Niehoff (1st) and Robert Tesche (7th) missed their first chances, Ba-Muaka Simakala (16th) even hit the post. But then Freiburg picked up the pace and took their first chance through Höler.
VfR Aalen – FC Schalke 04 0:2 (0:1)
Second division club Schalke 04 reached the second round without much shine – and benefited from the fact that the competition still offers a piece of football's past. The Royal Blues won 2-0 (1-0) against fifth division club VfR Aalen, and the absence of the video assistant helped enormously in the first half: the Aalen team did not get a possible hand penalty (13th minute), and a little later Kenan Karaman scored (31st minute). ) Schalke's lead from an offside position.
The Aaleners, who were relegated from the Regionalliga Südwest to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg last season, called for penalties several times, particularly vehemently in the 13th minute: a cross from Benjamin Kindsvater landed on the arm of Schalke newcomer Felipe Sanchez. The VAR, which has long been common in the league, is only available in the DFB Cup from the round of 16 onwards.
And so the team around referee Felix Brych, for whom it was the comeback after a torn cruciate ligament last winter, gave Karaman the header goal. Later Tobias Mohr increased the score (68'), and Karaman also hit the crossbar (82'). Possibly a good omen for Schalke: the 2010/11 cup season also began for the Gelsenkirchen team with a win in Aalen, which ended with the club's last triumph in this competition to date.
