RB Leipzig is also in the next round of the DFB Cup. © ANSA / RONALD WITTEK

In the DFB Cup: Most of the favorites prevail

The DFB Cup is back! Eleven matches were scheduled for Saturday's first round. The favorites prevailed for the most part. However, two underdogs managed to make a statement.

August 16, 2025

From: mv

The new professional football season is just around the corner. After the opening fixtures in the 2. Bundesliga and 3. Liga, the first round of the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) is upon us. This, as the saying goes, has its own rules. On Saturday, however, many favorites won – only two of the favorites have already been eliminated.

The most decisive victory went to VfL Wolfsburg, under new coach Daniel Bauer, who beat Oberliga side SV Hemelingen 9-0. While the visitors were "only" 3-0 up at halftime, they doubled their lead after the break. 1. FC Heidenheim also celebrated a decisive victory, beating Bahlinger SC 5-0.

Both Hamburg clubs are

In addition to RB Leipzig (4-2 win at SV Sandhausen), the two Hamburg clubs, Hamburger SV and FC St. Pauli, are also in the second round of the DFB Cup. Both fan bases had to tremble.

Ransford Königsdörffer gave HSV fans relief in the 100th minute of extra time against FK Pirmasens, while FC St. Pauli even had to go to a penalty shootout against Eintracht Norderstedt – no goal had been scored for 120 minutes.

Hannover 96 and 1. FC Nuremberg out

Also advancing to the next round are VfL Bochum (3-1 win after extra time against BFC Dynamo) and SC Freiburg (2-0 win against SF Lotte), as well as TSG Hoffenheim, who defeated Hansa Rostock 4-0. Hannover 96 (2. Bundesliga), on the other hand, suffered a flop, narrowly losing 0-1 to third-division side Energie Cottbus – Boris Tomiak missed a penalty for Hannover.

1. FC Nuremberg also suffered a defeat. "Der Glubb," as they're also known, faced regional league side FV Illertissen from Bavaria and were already 0-2 down after the first half.

Coach Miroslav Klose has already been eliminated with his 1. FC Nuremberg team. © APA/afp / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Coach Miroslav Klose's team, which had been preparing for the new season in Gais, turned the game around to 3-2 after the break, before the home side equalized at 90-3 in the 3th minute. Illertissen ultimately had luck on its side in the penalty shootout.

DFB Cup, the results from Saturday

BFC Dynamo – VfL Bochum 1:3 aet
Goals: 1:0 Shcherbakovski (46th), 1:1 Loosli (85th), 1:2 Bamba (107th), 1:3 Bero (120th + 1)

FK Pirmasens – Hamburger SV 1:2 after extra time
Goals: 1:0 Griess (52nd), 1:1 Ramos (90th+2), 1:2 Königsdörffer (100th)

Bahlinger SC – 1. FC Heidenheim 0:5
Goals: 0:1 Scienza (9th), 0:2 Honsak (34th), 0:3 Scienza (61st), 0:4 Kaufmann (77th), 0:5 Conteh (83rd)

Eintracht Norderstedt – FC St. Pauli 0:1 on penalties
Decisive penalty: Nemeth

FV Illertissen – 1. FC Nürnberg 4:3 nE
Goals: 1-0 Milic (2'), 2-0 Giessing (43'), 2-1 Yilmaz (65'), 2-2 Stepanov (78'), 2-3 Telalovic (86'/penalty), 3-3 Rühle (90'); Decisive penalty: Irigoyen

Hansa Rostock – TSG Hoffenheim 0:4
Goals: 0:1 Burger (37th), 0:2 Moerstedt (71st), 0:3 Asllani (83rd), 0:4 Moerstedt (86th)

SV Hemelingen – VfL Wolfsburg 0:9
Goals: 0:1 Jenz (13th), 0:2 Skov Olsen (14th), 0:3 Majer (39th), 0:4 Pejcinovic (53rd), 0:5 Svanberg (61st), 0:6 Svanberg (71st), 0:7 Cerny (72nd), 0:8 Pejcinovic (76th), 0:9 Pejcinovic (81st)

SV Sandhausen – RB Leipzig 2:4
Goals: 1:0 Wiafe Ampadu (3rd), 1:1 Diomande (6th), 2:1 Herrmann (18th), 2:2 Orbán (23rd), 2:3 Banzuzi (79th), 2:4 Simons (90th + 6th)

Energie Cottbus – Hannover 96 1:0
Goal: 1-0 Cigerci (12.)

SF Lotte – SC Freiburg 0:2
Goals: 0:1 Dinkci (43rd), 0:2 Höler (69th)

VfB Lübeck – SV Darmstadt 98 1:2
Goals: 0:1 Maglica (34th), 0:2 Hornby (73rd), 1:2 Becken (90th+1)