HEBC Host Borussia Dortmund in First Cup Tie Since 1935
Fifth-tier Hamburg-Eimsbutteler BC met Borussia Dortmund at the Volksparkstadion in the DFB-Pokal first round, 91 years after their last cup match.
· 7 countries
A 91-Year Wait in Hamburg
Hamburg-Eimsbutteler BC, an amateur club from the Eimsbuttel district of Hamburg, faced Borussia Dortmund in the first main round of the DFB-Pokal, German football's national cup competition, with kick-off at 20:45.
SPORT1 reports the match was played at the Volksparkstadion, the home ground of Hamburger SV. The German outlet notes the occasion was extraordinary for HEBC because the club's last cup appearance came 91 years ago, the longest gap any team has had between cup outings.
HEBC play in the Oberliga, the fifth tier of German football. Dortmund, by contrast, went into the cup season as one of the favourites, having been knocked out in the round of 16 by Bayer Leverkusen the previous year.
Kovac Rotates Heavily
Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac made seven changes to the side that started the Bundesliga opener, a 2-0 win over Hamburger SV. Regulars Serhou Guirassy and Jobe Bellingham started on the bench, as did new signing Konstantinos Karetsas.
Seventeen-year-old Mathis Albert was named in the starting eleven for the first time. According to SPORT1, the young attacking player had featured in some friendlies but had played only two competitive minutes for Dortmund before this.
Speaking to Sky before kick-off, Kovac said of Albert and Samuele Inacio: "We want to give the lads a chance to show themselves on this stage today. I assume they will play a very good game." Inacio had been sent off shortly after coming on at the weekend, which Kovac called very unfortunate while insisting the player remains an important part of the squad.
Alexander Meyer's Return
Alexander Meyer started in goal in place of first-choice keeper Gregor Kobel. The 35-year-old is Dortmund's number two and has made 25 competitive appearances since joining in the summer of 2022.
BVBWLD reports that the stadium holds personal meaning for Meyer, who was born in Bad Oldesloe and played for Hamburger SV youth teams and the reserve side between 2005 and 2012, never appearing for the first team. During that period he also worked as a ball boy at the Volksparkstadion, a detail the outlet attributes to t-online.
The tie marked Meyer's first competitive appearance since 9 November 2024, when Dortmund lost 3-1 at Mainz in the Bundesliga. Kobel was not in the squad at all and, according to a Ruhr Nachrichten report cited by BVBWLD, did not travel to Hamburg.
Coverage and Result
The match was shown free-to-air on RTL and on pay television via Sky, with paid streams available on RTL+ and Sky Go. SPORT1 ran a live text ticker and said highlights of all DFB-Pokal matches would follow on its own channel and app.
SPORT1 named the HEBC line-up as Schoon, Kohler, Oldag, Nawaz, Wrede, Schick, Eggers, Lemke, Stegemann, von Zitzewitz and Grunewald. Dortmund lined up with Meyer, Ryerson, Anton, Mane, Svensson, Nmecha, Veermann, Sabitzer, Albert, Inacio and Silva.
The final score is not given in the available reports, which were published before or around kick-off. The full name of the HEBC coach is also not stated in the sources, which break off at his first name, Philipp.
More from Donator TRENDS
Pakistan Open Women's Asia Cup Against Thailand in Dubai
Fatima Sana's side begin their campaign four days into the tournament, while Naruemol Chaiwai's Thailand play their final group match.
Sport
Afghanistan Face India in Three T20Is in Delhi from Sept 13
Ibrahim Zadran's side meets a heavily changed India team at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, with all three matches between September 13 and 17.
Sport
Julian Alvarez Stays at Atletico as Barcelona Move Dies
The Argentina forward trained under Diego Simeone as the transfer window closed, with Atletico refusing to deal with Barcelona and an Arsenal approach going nowhere.
Sport
Arsenal Still Chasing Alvarez as Atletico Line Up Cover
Atletico Madrid have opened loan talks for Juventus striker Jonathan David, a move that could clear Julian Alvarez's path out of Spain.
SportArsenal Handed Alvarez Boost as Atletico Eye Replacement
Atletico Madrid have opened loan talks for Juventus striker Jonathan David as Julian Alvarez's future at the Spanish club stays unresolved.
Sport
Chelsea Push for Roma's Manu Kone in £52m Swap Talks
Sky in Italy reports a £52m bid and a possible Jamie Gittens move to Rome, but Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini says no offer arrived.
Sport