The VfL Wolfsburg avoided a first-round cup upset on August 22, 2026, defeating regional league side VSG Altglienicke 6:5 on penalties after a 3:3 draw through 120 minutes of action, according to match reports from ZDFheute. Playing at the amateur stadium of Hertha BSC due to pitch length regulations at Altglienicke’s regular ground, the Bundesliga-Absteiger club rallied from behind three separate times before goalkeeper Jakub Zieliński secured the dramatic shootout victory.
A Nervous Start and Early Shocks in Berlin
Head coach Tobias Strobl had demanded “absolute Ernsthaftigkeit” (absolute seriousness) from his squad prior to kickoff, but the team’s early performance contrasted sharply with that warning. VSG Altglienicke, who entered the fixture unbeaten in their regional division, immediately put the visitors under pressure. Jonas Nietfeld opened the scoring for the heavy underdogs in the 6th minute after a near-miss two minutes prior left supporters stunned. Wolfsburg struggled to find rhythm in the opening half, with Fabian Reese repeatedly thwarted by Altglienicke goalkeeper Luis Zwick at the venue in Berlin.
Maximilian Arnold Inspires the Comeback
Following a scoreless first 45 minutes for the visitors, manager Strobl introduced team captain Maximilian Arnold alongside Sael Kumbedi and Elvis Rexhbecaj to spark an offensive shift. The tactical change paid off immediately in the 55th minute when Arnold leveled the score with a long-range strike from roughly 30 meters out. Yet, defensive lapses continued to plague the visitors. Shortly after the equalizer, Wolfsburg goalkeeper Zieliński delivered a wayward pass directly to Jonas Saliger, who gratefully restored Altglienicke’s lead to 2:1 in the 71st minute. Arnold once again answered from distance, drilling home an 83rd-minute equalizer to force extra time.
Extra-Time Drama and Penalty Shootout Heroics
The frantic pace extended well into the extra periods. Mehmet Ibrahimi pushed the amateur side ahead for a third time in the 109th minute, putting Wolfsburg on the brink of an elimination shock similar to fellow Bundesliga-Absteiger 1. However, Hauke Wahl rescued Wolfsburg with an equalizer in the 117th minute to make it 3:3, sending the fixture to penalties. In the ensuing shootout, Wolfsburg netminder Zieliński parried attempts from Sven Sonnenberg and Mehmet Ibrahimi, allowing defender Kilian Fischer to step up and convert the decisive spot-kick for a 6:5 final margin.
What Lies Ahead for Wolfsburg
The hard-fought triumph secures Wolfsburg’s progression to the second round of the DFB-Pokal for the fifth time, maintaining their tournament survival despite early-season struggles that included a recent draw against Kaiserslautern in the 2. Bundesliga. The club will await the official second-round draw to determine their next domestic cup opponent.
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