DFB-Pokal Round 2 Roundup: Bayern Fans Left in Horror as Saarbrücken Stuns the Bundesliga Champions with a 96-Minute WinnerSports 

DFB-Pokal Round 2 Roundup: Bayern Fans Left in Horror as Saarbrücken Stuns the Bundesliga Champions with a 96-Minute Winner

After their dominating 8-0 win against SV Darmstadt 98 at the weekend, which saw Harry Kane scoring a hat-trick, many expected The Bavarians to steamroll their third-tier oppositions in the DFB-Pokal. However, reality often differs from fantasy as the Bundesliga champions succumb to the magic of football as the host grabbed a last-gasp winner against all the odds. Defending champions RB Leipzig exited the competition the day before after Wolfsburg nullified their attacking prowess, and fellow German heavyweights Bayern Leverkusen and Borrusia Dortmund secured their passage into the next round. Continue reading our roundup below for more detailed information.

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Third-Tier Saarbrücken Stunned 20 Times DFB-Pokal Winners Bayern Munich in Dramatic Fashion

Upsets have become a recurring theme throughout the years of the DFB-Pokal, but even the most fanatic fans did not predict Saarbrücken to knock out the defending Bundesliga champions. However, the fact is that Saarbrücken stunned the 20 Times DFB-Pokal champions with a Marcel Gaus last-gasp winner in the 96th minute.

For those highlighting that Bayern did not field their strongest squad, Thomas Tuchel named 3 of their regular back four, and Joshua Kimmich, sitting in midfield with Leroy Sané, Thomas Müller and Choupo-Moting starting in attack. Bayern even took an early lead with Thomas Müller scoring in the 16th minute. Therefore, we cannot use this argument to say that Bayern were overconfident against their third-tier opponents and that much credit needs to be given to their opponents for their achievements.

For instance, Saarbrücken is ranked 15th in their league and has lost their two previous matches heading into this encounter. Therefore, the mental resilience they displayed to rally from a goal behind against the best German team ever is nothing to scoff at. Patrick Sontheimer scored the equaliser for the host in the added minutes before half-time, and Marcel Gaus capped off the memorable day by scoring the decisive winner in the 96th minute. The loss means Bayern will exit the DFB-Pokal in the second round for the third time in four years, and their wait for the trophy continues another year after their win in 2019–20.

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2 Time Defending DFB-Pokal Champions RB Leipzig Are Out

Perhaps overshadowed by the achievements of Saarbrücken against Bayern, 2 Time defending DFB-Pokal champions RB Leipzig also crashed out of the competition after losing a close 1-0 match against Wolfsburg. To put it into perspective, RB Leipzig won back-to-back DFB-Pokal titles in 2022 and 2023 and finished finalists in 2021, while Wolfsburg lost their three previous matches heading into this fixture. Moreover, Leipzig also won their last three meetings with an aggregate scoreline of 7-0.

However, Wolfsburg came out with all guns blazing as they got an early lead through Václav Černý when he held off the challenge of Castello Lukeba and rifled the ball high into the net past Peter Gulácsi. Then, they continued to dominate proceedings and frustrated the opposition, which eventually led to the dismissal of Yussuf Poulsen. Then, the intensity of the match faded as Leipzig could not offer anything in front of the goal, and the defending champions left the VOLKSWAGEN ARENA with just one shot on target.

The defeat meant that RB Leipzig suffered their first defeat in 14 games in the DFB-Pokal as the team hopes to exact revenge on Wolfsburg on Nov 25, where the two will meet again in the Bundesliga.

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Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund Maintained Strong Form in Multiple Competitions

As for the other contenders, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund continued their strong showing in the DFB-Pokal with a 5-2 win and a 1-0 win, respectively. Since the appointment of Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen has looked like the most consistent team in Germany, with some even claiming they are the strongest team with a 12 win 1 draw record in 13 matches this season.

While it is too early to judge, they are killing it in the Bundesliga and the Europa League as they are top of the table and are now prime favourites for the DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund close behind. For the Black and Yellow, they were consistent throughout last season but eventually lost out on their own terms against Bayern Munich.

This season, they have recovered after a shaky start, which saw them draw many games and lose to PSG in a convincing manner. However, they are now poised to take back the title they won in 2020–21 and pushed for the Bundesliga again by winning the Der Klassiker this weekend. Who is your favourite to win the DFB-Pokal now after Bayern is out? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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