WA few days after their first win of the season in the Bundesliga, VfB Stuttgart remains on the road to success in the DFB Cup under interim coach Michael Wimmer. The Swabians won on Wednesday evening after an impressive performance 6-0 (4-0) against the desolate defending second division bottom Arminia Bielefeld.
Within nine minutes, VfB, where despite the boost under Wimmer the search for a new head coach is in full swing, made the decision. Pascal Stenzel started the game with a remarkable flick (20′) before Wataru Endo followed up (24′). It became even clearer after Luca Pfeiffer’s debut goal for VfB (29′) and Silas Katompa Mvumpa also had the majority of the 24,500 spectators cheering (40′). After the break, Pfeiffer (52′) and Serhou Guirassy (68′) increased.
Compared to the many mediocre performances that had led to the release of Pellegrino Matarazzo last week, VfB was hardly recognizable. The hosts started early, kept finding playful solutions and controlled the game.
The Bielefeld team had hoped for a turnaround in the cup. But coach Daniel Scherning had to say goodbye to this wishful thinking early on. Mateo Klimowicz, on loan from Stuttgart, failed to clear the ball after a corner kick. Stenzel asserted himself and scored from a distance.
At the next standard, the Bielefeld Endo left criminally alone. The 3-0 came after a pattern that should be familiar to VfB supporters from the recent past. After a cross it was not Sasa Kalajdzic, who had moved to England, who stole away in the penalty area, but newcomer Pfeiffer.
The Stuttgart team lacked the defensive trio that had been on the field from the start against Bochum. As agreed, Wimmer also relied on cup keeper Fabian Bredlow in goal. The newly formed defense was hardly challenged. As a track player, Silas was also able to switch to the offensive on the right side again and again. Another Sosa cross allowed him to volley the ball uncovered.
Great fun: Stuttgart’s Silas (right) and Chris Führich cheer after the goal to make it 4-0
Quelle: dpa/Marijan Murat
After the break, East Westphalia, who made three changes at the start of the second half, continued to have major problems. The guest fans waited in vain for a gasp. Instead, Pfeiffer and substitute Guirassy had two more shots at goal and Enzo Millot hit the post.
Union Berlin – 1. FC Heidenheim 2-0
Union Berlin has overcome its Heidenheim complex and easily reached the round of 16 in the DFB Cup. Three days after the well-respected 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga leaders beat second division club 1. FC Heidenheim 2-0 (1-0) on Wednesday evening. Timoteusz Puchacz (7th minute) with his first competitive goal for the Irons and Sven Michel (52nd) scored the goals for the Berliners in front of 21,029 spectators in the stadium at the Alte Försterei. In the second division, Union had not been able to win the last six comparisons against Heidenheim between 2016 and 2019.
Unstoppable: At Union Berlin, Sven Michel is also the second suit
Which: Getty Images/Boris Streubel
After the Dortmund coup, forces had to be conserved. Fischer made that clear with his starting eleven, which was rotated five times. And once again the Union coach had a lucky hand. Puchacz has not completed a Bundesliga minute this season. He was allowed to play against the second division team. After seven minutes, the Pole was in the right place and shot in from close range for an early lead. All opponents now know what that means. After falling behind, no one has won against the Irons this season.
The offensive actions of the guests were manageable. Goalkeeper Lennart Grill easily deflected a shot from Jan-Niklas Beste (15th) over the crossbar in his second Union mission. It only got dangerous for the Berliners when Diogo Leite bumped into Kevin Sessa (29th) in the penalty area. Referee Florian Badstüber did not award a penalty.
Union did not allow the guests any more offensive drive anyway and now also remembered their own attacking activities. Danilho Doekhi headed over the goal (30′), Janik Haberer, who scored twice against Dortmund, was denied by Heidenheim goalkeeper Vitus Eicher (31′). Michel (34th), who had sealed Union’s last home cup defeat for Paderborn in 2020 with two goals, shot over.
Union simply continued to do so after the break. The dreaded switching game was not necessary as a tactic this time. Sheraldo Becker (47th) could not get past Eichner. The FCH goalkeeper was then powerless against Michel’s header lob. Becker (55th) and Robin Knoche (59th) continued to challenge the brave Eicher at regular intervals. Heidenheim lacked the means to rear up. With the win, Union will also be in the DFB Cup in 2023 as a third competition alongside the Europa League and Bundesliga.
Jahn Regensburg – Fortuna Düsseldorf 0:3
After a lightning start, Fortuna Düsseldorf stormed into the round of 16 at SSV Jahn Regensburg. Coach Daniel Thioune’s team decided the duel between the second division teams 3-0 (3-0) and thus overwintered in the financially lucrative competition.
Smoothly slipped into the round of 16:. Düsseldorf’s Kristoffer Peterson celebrates after his goal to make it 1-0
Source: dpa/Daniel Löb
A dropout by goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic gave the dynamic Fortuna the lead in front of 7892 spectators. The Regensburg goalkeeper let a supposedly harmless long-range shot from around 24 meters by newcomer Kristoffer Peterson roll through his arms into the goal in the fifth minute. Dawid Kownacki (16th) headed the ball up for the rapidly combining Düsseldorfers against a carelessly defending host after a cross from Michal Karbownik.
Regensburg, who won the penalty shoot-out against Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln in the first round, only really started to push themselves towards the end of the first half. After a double chance from Kaan Caliskaner (39′, 41′), however, Fortune Emmanuel Iyoha (45′ + 1′) completed another powerful attack by Karbownik down the left flank.
The Regensburgers were able to make the second half open. However, the people of Düsseldorf retained control and celebrated their successful business trip to the Upper Palatinate.
2nd round, DFB-Pokal, results
RB Leipzig – Hamburger SV 4: 0
Stuttgarter Kickers – Eintracht Frankfurt 0:2
Waldhof Mannheim – 1. FC Nürnberg 0:1
VfB Lübeck – Mainz 05 0: 3
TSG Hoffenheim – Schalke 04 5:1
Eintracht Braunschweig – VfL Wolfsburg 1:2
SV Elversberg – VfL Bochum 0:1
Darmstadt 98 – Borussia Monchengladbach 2:1
Hannover 96 – Borussia Dortmund 0:2
SC Freiburg – FC St. Pauli 2:1 nV
SV Sandhausen – Karlsruher SC 10: 9 nE
SC Paderborn – Werder Bremen 7:6 nE
FC Augsburg – FC Bayern Munich 2:5
VfB Stuttgart – Arminia Bielefeld 6: 0
1. FC Union Berlin – 1. FC Heidenheim 2-0
Jahn Regensburg – Fortuna Düsseldorf 0:3
DFB Cup, round of 16 participants
1. FC Union Berlin
FC Bayern Munich
SC Freiburg
TSG Hoffenheim
Eintracht Frankfurt
Borussia Dortmund
RB Leipzig
Mainz 05
VfL Wolfsburg
VfB Stuttgart
VfL Bochum
Darmstadt 98
SC Paderborn
Fortuna Düsseldorf
1. FC Nürnberg
SV Sandhausen
