- The titleholders of the Bundesliga remain in control of the cup competition
Germany's top-tier teams dominated in the DFB Cup on Saturday. RB Leipzig triumphed 4-1 over third-division side Rot-Weiss Essen (2-1), while SC Freiburg secured a 4-0 victory (2-0) against third-division team VfL Osnabrück. 1. FC Heidenheim managed a 4-0 triumph (1-0) against regional league side FC Villingen, and Borussia Mönchengladbach emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline (1-1) at third-division side Erzgebirge Aue. 1. FC Union fought hard to win 1-0 (0-0) against regional league side Greifswalder FC.
Second-tier teams also tasted victory in the tournament. Last season's runner-up, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, defeated third-tier side FC Ingolstadt 2-1 (2-0). SpVgg Greuther Fürth beat Oberliga side Schott Mainz 2-0 (1-0), and FC Schalke 04 beat regional league side VfR Aalen 2-0 (1-0).
Leipzig had a tough start in Essen. The underdog took the lead through Ramien Safi in the 2nd minute, but Benjamin Sesko equalized for the two-time cup champion in the 12th. Loïs Openda scored in the 40th minute, and new signing Antonio Nusa sealed the win in the 84th, with Xavi Simons adding another in the 87th.
Mönchengladbach also looked unfavorable in the beginning. New signing Mika Clausen gave Aue a lead in the 8th minute, but Franck Honorat replied for the Bundesliga team in the 35th, and Luca Netz made it 2-1 in the 52nd. Alassane Pléa pushed the advantage to 3-1 in the 70th, despite Julian Weigl missing a penalty in added time (45'+4).
Freiburg built a comfortable lead in Osnabrück. Lucas Höler and Vincenzo Grifo scored in the 30th and 33rd minutes respectively. Union Berlin took longer to score, with Yorbe Vertessen secured the win in the 67th minute, and adding another in added time (90'+4).
Heidenheim edged ahead against the fourth-tier side before halftime, with Maximilian Breunig netting in the 43rd minute. The Bundesliga side maintained their dominance in the second half, with Breunig scoring again in the 48th and 54th minutes, and Paul Wanner adding another in the 52nd.
The DFB Cupcontinued to be a battleground for German football teams, with 1. FC Kaiserslautern joining the winners from the top-tier with their 2-1 victory over FC Ingolstadt. In the second-tier, SpVgg Greuther Fürth and FC Schalke 04 also secured victories, beating Schott Mainz and VfR Aalen respectively.
