Borussia Dortmund advanced to the last 16 of the German Cup after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 4-2 on penalties in a tense second-round clash on Tuesday that ended 1-1 after extra time.
The visitors were flawless from the spot, with Fabio Silva, Niklas Suele, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Felix Nmecha all converting their penalties. In contrast, Frankfurt faltered, as Ritsu Doan fired his shot high over the bar and Fares Chaibi’s effort was saved by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
The match began with early drama as former Dortmund duo Mario Goetze and Ansgar Knauff combined to give Frankfurt the lead in the seventh minute. Goetze split the Dortmund defence with a perfectly weighted pass that allowed Knauff to calmly slot the ball into the net.
Dortmund responded swiftly after the interval, equalising just three minutes into the second half. Julian Ryerson whipped in a precise cross that found Julian Brandt, who tapped home from close range to bring the visitors level.
Both sides pushed for a winner in extra time, and Frankfurt thought they had secured victory in the 115th minute when Jonathan Burkardt found the back of the net. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.
In the penalty shootout, Can Uzun and Michy Batshuayi converted their kicks for Frankfurt, but Doan and Chaibi’s costly misses sealed their fate. Dortmund’s composure from 12 yards ensured their progression to the next round.
“We’ve got a sensational goalie and plenty of good penalty shooters. It feels nice,” Brandt said after the match, praising his teammates’ calm under pressure.
The game marked a nostalgic rematch of the 2017 German Cup final, which Dortmund also won 2-1, a match that saw current Borussia coach Niko Kovac on the Frankfurt bench.
In other fixtures, RB Leipzig breezed past Energie Cottbus with a 4-1 victory, thanks to doubles from Johan Bakayoko and Christoph Baumgartner. Bochum stunned top-flight side Augsburg with a 1-0 away win, while Borussia Moenchengladbach secured a 3-1 victory over Karlsruhe.
Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin defeated Elversberg 3-0, Hamburg earned a 1-0 triumph at Heidenheim, and Holstein Kiel pulled off a 1-0 upset over Wolfsburg.
The action continues on Wednesday, with 20-time champions Bayern Munich set to visit Cologne, and defending champions Stuttgart travelling to face Mainz.
What you should know
Dortmund’s victory over Frankfurt keeps their pursuit of a fifth German Cup title alive. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s heroics in the shootout and Brandt’s equaliser were pivotal in the tense encounter.
The win also rekindled memories of their 2017 triumph over the same opponent, reaffirming Dortmund’s resilience in knockout football.
