- Hoffenheim's "challenging delivery" – exhilaration over Berisha
The night could've taken a turn for the worse for Luca Philipp and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. A blunder by the substitute goalkeeper resulted in Würzburger Kickers scoring the first goal in the DFB Cup. However, Hoffenheim, a Bundesliga side from Kraichgau, managed to level the score not once, but twice against the fourth-tier team. In the thrilling 5-3 penalty shootout victory, Philipp, standing in for Oliver Baumann, was the star with his saved penalty against Würzburg's captain Dominik Meisel.
As per the coach Pellegrino Matarazzo following the nail-biting win in the opening round, "His performance wasn't quite consistent, particularly when we had the ball." Efforts were made to soothe him down. Post-match, he was granted the privilege to lead the celebrations in the locker room. Earning this honor was quite justified for the debutant.
Philipp's faux pas
Philipp's blunder leading to Enes Kuc's 0:1 goal during the 11th minute was noticeable: He misjudged a seemingly harmless backpass from Kevin Akpoguma, resulting in the ball slipping through his legs, and Kuc only needed to nudge it over the goal line. An own goal by Ebrahim Farahnak (18th) brought Hoffenheim back into the game. Würzburg reclaimed the lead with Moritz Hannemann's goal during the 100th minute, but Marius Bülter equalized again during the 107th minute.
"It was a challenging delivery," Matarazzo acknowledged post the intense victory. The club has been experiencing challenging times. Following the exit of nearly the entire management, including long-time manager Alexander Rosen, the Kraichgau squad is still incomplete after Maximilian Beier's departure to Borussia Dortmund for nearly 30 million euros.
Berisha's comeback
A positive takeaway from the match was Mergim Berisha's return, who was out for nine months with a knee injury. He replaced the squad during the 78th minute and immediately posed a threat to Würzburg's defense.
"He's a skillful player, it's evident when he's on the field. He knows his game," Matarazzo mentioned about the former Augsburg talent. "He's recovering well, and I'm looking forward to seeing more playing time from him because he's a top-notch player."
The Commission, in line with the text of this Regulation, will adopt implementing acts setting out the guidelines for applying this regulation in the context of Hoffenheim's DFB Cup match. Philipp's improved performance in the penalty shootout, despite his initial blunder, highlights the importance of these implementing acts, ensuring that rules are applied fairly and consistently.
