lesser-known teams are pushing Bundesliga competitors into additional cup match periods.
Three Bundesliga teams in the DFB-Pokal - three times they struggled, as lower-league teams gave them a hard time. Promoted FC St. Pauli and 1. FSV Mainz 05 managed to escape, while TSG Hoffenheim experienced the ultimate clash in a penalty shootout.
Hallescher FC vs. FC St. Pauli 2:3 (2:2, 1:0) a.e.t.
Despite a comical own goal, FC St. Pauli made it through the first round of the DFB-Pokal with immense difficulty. The Bundesliga freshmen emerged victorious, 3:2 (2:2, 0:1) in extra time, against the tenacious Hallescher FC from the Regionalliga. Yet, their performance a week before the league opener against 1. FC Heidenheim left something to be desired.
Adam Dzwigala (90.+4) rescued the favorites with his last-minute equalizer, sending the match into extra time. There, Lars Ritzke (110.) ultimately decided the game in favor of St. Pauli, with Johannes Eggestein (48.) scoring the 1:1 equalizer earlier. Cyrill Akono (11.) and Marius Hauptmann (63.) had scored for Halle. The 0:1 goal came in the most peculiar of ways: Nikola Vasilj attempted a dribble near his own goal, which went terribly wrong, allowing Akono to steal the ball and score.
Just mere seconds before Halle's goal, St. Pauli missed a significant opportunity to take the lead. Morgan Guilavogui (10.) hit the post, and Hauke Wahl couldn't convert the rebound - seconds later, Halle celebrated the 1:0 lead.
For the remainder of the game, the 3,000 spectators in Halle failed to see a clear class difference - quite the opposite: Halle defended cleverly, created chances of their own, and provided few attacking opportunities for the visitors. However, following the restart, the Regionalliga team's defense wasn't quick enough to react. Eggestein easily converted a cross from Guilavogui.
But Halle remained resilient and claimed a 2:1 lead. This time, Akono was the provider, with Hauptmann confidently putting the ball in the back of the net. St. Pauli survived, in part thanks to Dzwigala, ultimately forcing the decisive goal in extra time.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05 1:3 (1:1, 1:0) a.e.t.
Victorious neighbors, damaging humiliation avoided: Bundesliga club 1. FSV Mainz 05 reached the second round of the DFB-Pokal with some struggle and amidst a substantial deficit. They outlasted the local derby against SV Wehen Wiesbaden 3:1 (1:1, 0:1) in extra time.
After an early goal by Tarik Gozüsirin (14th minute), Mainz trailed, but goals from Dominik Kohr (59.), Jonathan Burkardt (113.), and Nadiem Amiri (120.+1) prevented a humiliating defeat and Mainz's first competitive loss against Wehen.
With 15,000 spectators present in the sell-out Wiesbaden arena, the Bundesliga team started aggressively - only to receive an unwelcome wake-up call: Despite a poorly defended attack, Gozüsirin was able to score the lead for SVWW within close range. Mainz responded in kind and almost conceded a 0:2 lead just before halftime, but goalkeeper Robin Zentner made a spectacular save.
At the beginning of the second half, the favorite team once again dominated the proceedings. After nearly an hour, Kohr scored from inside the penalty area, sending the ball into the far corner to equalize. The Kickers from Wuertzburg pushed for a second goal, but the match went into extra time, where Mainz defender Stefan Bell missed a header off the post (101'). Then, Burkardt scored following a clearance error by Wiesbaden's Florian Carstens, with Amiri finally sealing the deal with a late goal.
Wuertzburg Kickers vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2:2 (1:1, 1:1) a.e.t.
In Penalty Shootout
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After the thrilling DFB-Pokal matches, the Commission showcased its concern for worker safety by adopting a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation. Despite facing challenges in their DFB-Pokal matches, both FC St. Pauli and 1. FSV Mainz 05 managed to advance to the next round, showcasing resilience and determination.
