1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Middle EastUS election Ukraine

Opening night for German Cup

Dave RaishAugust 2, 2013

The first round of the German Cup has kicked off, meaning that Bundesliga teams have officially begun their competitive season. The competition's first evening brought plenty of excitement, including an upset.

https://p.dw.com/p/19J8M
02.08.2013 in Red Bull Arena in Leipzig (Sachsen). Augsburg's Sascha Mölders (l-r), Andre Hahn and Jan Moravek celebrate with Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker (2.v.r.) Foto: Jan Woitas/dpa (Wichtiger Hinweis! Der DFB untersagt die Verwendung von Sequenzbildern im Internet und in Online-Medien während des Spiels (einschließlich Halbzeit). Sperrfrist! Der DFB erlaubt die Publikation und Weiterverwertung der Bilder auf mobilfunkfähigen Endgeräten (insbesondere MMS) und über DVB-H und DMB erst nach Spielende.)
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Augsburg were the only Bundesliga side to play in the first round of the German Cup on Friday, taking on third-tier RB Leipzig.

Just five minutes into the match the heavily-favored visitors went 1-0 up thanks to Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker. The tall center back jumped over the defense to head home a corner with a goal that clearly took some wind out of the hosts' sails.

From then on, it was all Augsburg. The visitors controlled possession and had more than double the number of shots on goal. In the 69th minute, the southern club's big new signing Halil Altintop doubled the lead after being played through on goal. His clinical finish left goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti with little chance. The match finished 2-0 as Augsburg avoided any chance of a cup embarrassment.

German Cup excitement

The first upset of the tournament was also the competition's first match to finish. Third-tier Osnabrück handed second-division Erzgebirge Aue a 3-0 defeat. Daniel Nagy and Andreas Spann were the goal-scorers. Nagy's second goal, the final one of the match, was particularly impressive, as he found the back of the net with a powerful shot from far outside the box.

Fußball DFB-Pokal 1. Runde: VfL Osnabrück - Erzgebirge Aue om 02.08.2013 in the osnatel-Arena in Osnabrück (Niedersachsen). Osnabrücks Daniel Nagy (r) celebrates his goal with Adriano Grimaldi. Foto: Peter Steffen/dpa
Onsabrück were the only club Friday to knock off a team from a higher leagueImage: picture-alliance/dpa

It was in Heidenheim where the evening's most exciting match was played out. The third-tier club were hosting 1860 Munich. Moritz Stoppelkamp's goal for 1860 just after halftime looked like it would be the winner until Tim Göhlert was left open near the far post on a corner. The defender sent a low shot past Gabor Kiraly to equalize and send the match into extra time.

The final 30 minutes of the match were less exciting. Both teams had used all their substitutes prior to the start of extra time and the players looked visibly tired in Germany's unusually hot summer heat. It finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, leaving it up to the keepers to decide the match. In the end it was the experienced Hungarian Kiraly who was the hero, saving Heidenheim's final two shots and helping 1860 avoid an upset.

The German Cup resumes on Saturday with a day full of matches. Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg are among the teams in action. Cup holders Bayern Munich take on fourth-tier Schwarz-Weiss Rehden on Monday.