Hannover 96 crashed out of the DFB-Pokal in the second round after a 2-0 defeat against second-division rival 1. FC Kaiserslautern, extending the club’s winless run under coach Sandro Wagner. Despite dominating and creating a series of high-scoring chances in front of 35,800 spectators, Hannover failed to capitalize, while Kaiserslautern converted two of their three total scoring opportunities through Milos Lukovic in the 14th minute and Ivan Prtajin in the 86th minute.
The elimination comes three days after Hannover suffered a 2-0 derby defeat against Eintracht Braunschweig. Wagner’s record since taking charge in September now stands at three losses from four competitive fixtures. Conversely, Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen staged a comeback against second-division side Nürnberg, coached by Miroslav Klose, turning a two-goal deficit into a 5-2 victory.
Hannover’s Dominance Undone by Clinical Kaiserslautern
Hannover’s exit was marked by a stark contrast between territorial control and defensive vulnerability. The Niedersachsen played their best match under Wagner, yet fell behind early when Lukovic struck in the 14th minute. Despite waves of attacks and numerous missed opportunities, 96 could not find an equalizer. Prtajin sealed the result late in the 86th minute, leaving Wagner with a negative record following the 0:2 defeat.
Leverkusen Overcomes Early Deficit Against Nürnberg
In contrast to Hannover’s struggles, Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen demonstrated offensive resilience at home. Trailing 2-0 after goals from Nürnberg’s Rafael Lubach in the 13th minute and Sigurd Haugen in the 30th minute in front of 29,681 fans, Carles Martínez’s side shifted the momentum before and after halftime. Edmond Tapsoba ignited the comeback with goals in the 41st and 49th minutes. Patrik Schick added a penalty in the 70th minute, Jonas Hofmann scored in the 78th minute, and Lucas Vázquez capped the 5-2 win in the 89th minute.
Holstein Kiel Eliminates Hoffenheim on Penalties
Holstein Kiel secured a spot in the round of 16 by defeating TSG Hoffenheim 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time. Adam Hlozek put Hoffenheim ahead in the 11th minute before Adrian Kapralik equalized for Kiel in the 23rd minute. In the penalty shootout, Kiel goalkeeper Lio Rothenbach became the hero by saving the final spot-kick from Mats Rots. The victory keeps Kiel on a strong cup trajectory following their run to the quarterfinal last season.
DFB-Pokal Second Round Results
The second round of the DFB-Pokal produced several notable scorelines across Germany, featuring victories for top-flight heavyweights alongside lower-tier upsets:
- Sonnenhof Großaspach – FC Augsburg 2:4 (1:2)
- 1. FC Köln – Union Berlin 5:0 (1:0)
- Rot-Weiss Essen – RB Leipzig 1:2 (1:0)
- Borussia Dortmund – Werder Bremen 3:2 (2:0)
- VfL Bochum – Mainz 05 2:0 (0:0)
- Hamburger SV – Eintracht Frankfurt 1:3 (0:0)
- Mönchengladbach – Karlsruher SC 2:0 (1:0)
- SV Elversberg – Darmstadt 98 0:2 (0:1)
- Dynamo Dresden – FC Schalke 04 2:0 (0:0)
- SC Freiburg – VfL Wolfsburg 3:2 (1:2)
- SC Paderborn — VfB Stuttgart 0:1 (0:0)
- SSV Jeddeloh II – Hertha BSC 0:2 (0:0)
- Bayer Leverkusen – 1. FC Nürnberg 5:2 (1:2)
- Bayern München – 1. FC Magdeburg 6:1 (2:1)
- Hannover 96 – 1. FC Kaiserslautern 0:2 (0:1)
- Holstein Kiel – 1899 Hoffenheim 4:3 i.E. (1:1; 1:1)
Upcoming Draw and Match Schedule
The matchups for the round of 16 will be determined by an official draw scheduled for Sunday, November 1, at 19.15 Uhr. The next round of fixtures is set to be contested on December 1 and December 2.
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