Eintracht Frankfurt are through to the last 16 of the DFB Cup. Coach Adi Hütter's side won their top-flight clash away to Hamburger SV 3-1 (0-0), giving the Hessians a lift amid difficult weeks and a chance to dream of a sixth cup triumph in the club's history.
In the 56th minute, captain Robin Koch headed Frankfurt in front. Jonathan Burkardt (71st) and Younes Ebnoutalib (75th) then silenced the Volkspark, dealing another blow to an HSV side who had matched the visitors for only one half. Terem Moffi (79th) scored a consolation goal for the hosts.
"We did well," said midfield strategist Mario Götze. "Of course, the first half was nowhere near good enough, but towards the end, particularly in the second half, we did very, very well." Overall, Frankfurt were "on the right track", he said.
Injury-hit Hamburg had lost 1-0 away to newly promoted Paderborn in the league only at the weekend. A second-round cup exit to the struggling Hessian side added to their frustration. Coach Merlin Polzin's team will soon have a chance to make amends: the two sides meet in the league on Sunday (5.30pm/DAZN), this time in Frankfurt.
Despite missing seven first-team players following the weekend's league defeat, including playmaker Fábio Vieira, new signing Bilal Nadir (both with thigh injuries) and Yussuf Poulsen (hip problems), Hamburg approached the match in front of 57,000 spectators full of confidence. "The lads we have available are hugely up for this competition. They have our complete trust," HSV coach Polzin told RTL shortly before kick-off. Hütter called it an "important game". His team were "prepared", he said.
Hamburg dictated play early on and created the first chances. Moffi squandered an opportunity when unmarked (22nd), Eintracht goalkeeper Noah Atubolu saved Zakaria El Ouahdi's powerful effort (24th), and Albert Grönbaek poked the ball past the far post from seven metres (29th).
Three days after their 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund, the 2018 cup winners played reasonably well but initially struggled to create chances. After half an hour, Burkardt got a shot away from a position slightly to the right after fine build-up play from Ritsu Doan.
The 35th-minute incident occupied the discussion at the Volksparkstadion at half-time. Hamburg could not understand why the VAR had not intervened when Eintracht defender Koch barged El Ouahdi over in the penalty area.
After the break, Frankfurt took control. Koch turned Burkardt's perfectly placed headed knock-down from an Uzun cross over the line. HSV responded with furious attacks, but Moffi headed wide of an empty goal from point-blank range (64th) and Grönbaek failed to score (70th). Burkardt and Ebnoutalib settled matters at the other end.
Super-subs rescue FC Augsburg against third-tier side
FC Augsburg's super-subs spared them a cup embarrassment. Arijon Ibrahimovic and Anton Kade came off the bench to fire the Bundesliga side into the last 16 with a hard-fought 4-2 (2-1) win away to courageous third-tier newcomers SG Sonnenhof Großaspach, following five league matches without a victory.
Although Rodrigo Ribeiro scored twice for FCA (13th/21st), Luca Molinari (23rd) and captain Volkan Celiktas (47th) brought the hosts level. Ibrahimovic (69th), who had come on four minutes earlier, then curled a superb strike into the hosts' goal from 25 metres. Kade (74th), who had come on alongside Ibrahimovic, settled the contest.
For the self-styled "village club" from Aspach, who had knocked out second-tier Arminia Bielefeld (3-0 on penalties) in the first round, this was "probably the biggest game" in their history. Even the signs seemed favourable: after some hesitation, Andile the donkey, the club mascot, chose SGS's bowl of carrots on Sky.
Ribeiro proved the donkey wrong, scoring on the turn to put Augsburg ahead. At the other end, Marius Kunde hit the inside of the post before Ribeiro made it 2-0 on the counter-attack. Molinari hit back, scoring himself and then setting up the equaliser for 2-2.
From the stands, Aspach superfan Andrea Berg began to hope for a shock. But the pop singer had not reckoned with Augsburg's substitutes.
Two runs ended: second-tier Bochum stun Mainz
Bundesliga side FSV Mainz 05, specialists away from home, suffered a surprise defeat in the second round of the DFB Cup. The Rheinhessen lost 2-0 (0-0) at second-tier VfL Bochum, their first away defeat after six consecutive wins across two seasons. Underdogs Bochum, meanwhile, fought hard for their first home win of the current season.
In a match that showed no difference in class between the sides, Christian Rasmussen (46th) put Bochum ahead and striker Philipp Hofmann added a second (75th). VfL also gained a measure of revenge: in the teams' last meeting, Mainz sealed Bochum's seventh relegation from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 win. The favourites have now missed out on the cup's last 16 for the fourth successive time.
"Whether at home or away, we have to perform and get the basics right. Especially in the cup against Bochum," Mainz coach Urs Fischer had warned before the match. The teams' contrasting runs had reinforced his side's status as favourites.
Against the 1968 and 1988 cup finalists, the Bundesliga side visibly struggled. After an even first half, Rasmussen sparked Bochum celebrations at the Ruhrstadion on Castroper Straße, which is undergoing renovation. Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano deflected his shot beyond the goalkeeper's reach.
Fischer tried to inject some energy with a triple substitution, but FSV produced no furious response. Instead, Bochum counter-attacked. Hofmann only had to tap in after a square pass from Jarne Steuckers, sending the Ruhr region into party mood.