DFB Cup: Hoffenheim struggles to win in Cologne

Thanks to captain Andrej Kramaric, TSG Hoffenheim prevented another opening embarrassment in the DFB Cup in detention.

The team of coach Sebastian Hoeneß moved into the second round on Monday evening with a 3: 2 (1: 1, 1: 1) win after extra time at the third division soccer club Viktoria Köln.

Last year TSG failed right at the beginning against the second division side SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and Hoffenheim was eliminated four times in the first main round.

Captain Kramaric gave the guests the lead with a penalty kick (28th minute). With a dream goal, Simon Händle equalized five minutes later. In extra time, substitute Munas Dabbur (94th) put the guests in the lead again and Cologne equalized again a little later. This time by Christoph Greger (102nd), before Kramaric (107th) made the decision.

3402 spectators saw coach Olaf Janßen's sometimes heated duel in the Höhenberg sports park on the right bank of the Rhine in Cologne, in which the outsider - still without a win in the championship - caused problems for the Bundesliga club in the first round. The Hoeneß team, in which important players like Ermin Bicakcic, Havard Nordtveit and Pavel Kaderabek were missing, found no rhythm and never got the poisonous opponent under control. It only became dangerous due to the individual actions of the strong Jacob Bruun Larsen on the left and Kramaric.

The Dane Bruun Larsen also initiated the opening goal when he penetrated the Cologne penalty area after a solo run and was kicked on the foot by Christoph Greger. Kramaric converted the penalty safely. The Victoria was unimpressed. Handle transformed a great pass from Greger dreamily with his right foot from 15 meters into the long corner. Philipp Pentke, who stood in goal for Oliver Baumann, was powerless.

In the second round, the guests were able to control the game better at first, but there were seldom mandatory actions.

Kramaric's head and Christoph Baumgartner had the best chances, who failed to defeat Viktoria keeper Moritz Nicolas.

Viktoria limited themselves to the defensive for a long time and thus also made it into overtime, in which they initially quickly found the right answer to the renewed deficit.

But when Kramaric scored his second goal from close range, Cologne was defeated.

Ingolstadt and Karlsruhe reach 2nd round

After its false start in the second division in the DFB Cup, FC Ingolstadt has gained new self-confidence. The climber celebrated his first win of the season in the first round duel with second division rivals Erzgebirge Aue with a 2-1 (1-0) win and is back in the second round for the first time after three unsuccessful attempts. For Aue, on the other hand, who is still waiting for the first sense of achievement and even his first goal this season after two zero numbers, the cup competition is over for the second time in a row after the first round. Ingolstadt won in front of 3,322 spectators with goals from Filip Bilbija (6th) and Joker Fatih Kaya (79th), who had been substituted just two minutes earlier, and can therefore look forward to a bonus of around 250,000 euros. The interim equalization by Ben Zolinski (67.) not to the hoped-for success.

The hosts earned their break after Bilbija's early goal. Shortly before the break, Ingolstadt was only centimeters short of a preliminary decision when Eckardt Ayensa hit the crossbar. Aue, who only got better into the game in the final phase of the first half, came out of the cabin with a will to fight and initially rewarded himself with the equalizer. Against the Schanzer, which was somewhat unsettled afterwards, the Saxons pushed for the decision, but Kaya sealed the end of the guests with his winning goal.

Second division leaders Karlsruher SC lived up to their role as favorites and made it into the second round with ease. The team of coach Christian Eichner prevailed 4: 1 (1: 0) against the regional league team Sportfreunde Lotte. Fabian Schleusener (44th), Philipp Hofmann (50th), Fabio Kaufmann (58th) and Lucas Cueto (79th) scored the goals for KSC, while captain Timo Brauer scored a consolation goal for Lotte (72nd). After two first wins in the league, the guests came into the game with difficulty in front of 5,000 spectators and acted very uninspired, the cheeky outsider played bravely.

Shortly before the break, however, two summer additions ensured the Karlsruhe leadership: Kaufmann found Schleusener with his pass, who scored 1-0 from the turn. A few minutes after the break, Philipp Hofmann made the preliminary decision. The 28-year-old striker headed in after a corner to make it 2-0, Lotte's goalkeeper Jhonny Peitzmeier didn't look good at all. Kaufmann and Cueto put the lid on the game with their hits, while Brauer let the home fans cheer at least once.