DFB Cup: FC Bayern Munich only briefly experience problems, Union knocks out cup giant-killers Bielefeld

FC Schalke 04 were eliminated in the second round of the DFB Cup. The leaders of the 2. Bundesliga lost their match against fellow second-division side SV Darmstadt 98 by a clear 0-4 (0-2). Hiroki Akiyama (23rd minute), Matej Maglica (28th), Fraser Hornby (48th), and substitute Bartosz Bialek (60th) scored for Darmstadt. Darmstadt thus advance to the round of 16 and remain unbeaten at home this season.

In front of 17,810 spectators in the sold-out stadium at Böllenfalltor, the scene was completely different from Schalke's 1-0 victory in the league match last Friday.

Union Berlin narrowly avoided another upset by cup giant-killers Arminia Bielefeld. The Iron Ones prevailed 2-1 (1-1, 1-1) after extra time against last season's surprise finalists, securing revenge for their 0-2 defeat in the second round exactly one year ago in East Westphalia.

Leopold Querfeld (11th minute) and Danilo Doekhi (106th minute) scored the goals for the hosts in front of a sold-out crowd of 22,012 at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, securing their place in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup. Monju Momulu (27th minute) had scored the equalizer for Bielefeld.

Despite their commitment and passion, Arminia Bielefeld couldn't pull off another upset, having knocked Werder Bremen out of the competition for the second time in a year in the first round. When Doekhi scored, the visitors were down to ten men, having used all their substitutions after Marvin Mehlem's injury.

Five months after the 2:4 defeat in the final against VfB Stuttgart in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, Bielefeld's cup exit came four rounds earlier this time and a few kilometers southeast, also in the capital.

SC Freiburg comfortably dispatched second-division side Fortuna Düsseldorf in the cup, extending the Rhinelanders' crisis after four consecutive defeats. Freiburg, who had gone three away games without a win, won the second-round match 3-1 (2-1) and, like last year, advance to the round of 16 of the competition.

Düsseldorf's new coach Markus Anfang, on the other hand, suffered a defeat in his third consecutive competitive match.

In front of 36,112 spectators at the Düsseldorf Arena, Igor Matanovic (1st minute), Vincenzo Grifo (6th minute) and Derry Scherhant (90+3) scored the goals for the 2022 cup finalists. For Fortuna, who were eliminated in the first round last year, Anouar El Azzouzi (20th minute) scored in their first home cup match in six years.

14th competitive match, 14th win: FC Bayern Munich's dominance continues in the DFB Cup. After trailing 0-1, Bayern Munich cruised into the round of 16 with a 4-1 (2-1) victory against newly promoted Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln, who had put on a superb performance for much of the match. Alongside Harry Kane, who scored twice (38th and 64th minutes), former Köln goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, deputizing for the suspended Manuel Neuer, was the match-winner for Vincent Kompany's team.

Luiz Diaz (36th minute) had previously equalized for Cologne from an uncalled offside position, canceling out Ragnar Ache's (31st minute) opener. Michael Olise (72nd minute) finished off a counter-attack to score Bayern's fourth goal. The spirited Cologne side only flirted with an upset for 30 minutes. Constantly spurred on by motivator Lukas Kwasniok, who, despite the rain and temperatures around 13 degrees Celsius, kept the team on the sidelines in a t-shirt, FC Cologne played bravely going forward and created several good chances.

RND/dpa