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Long faces after the first competitive game of the season: Hertha players after losing against Braunschweig
Photo: IMAGO/Joachim Sielski
Bundesliga club Hertha BSC made a fool of themselves in the first round of the DFB Cup and were eliminated despite an early 2-0 lead.
The Berliners lost 6-5 on penalties at second division promoted Eintracht Braunschweig on Sunday.
After 120 minutes it was 4: 4 (2: 2, 2: 0).
Davie Selke (10') and Myziane Maolida (42') gave Berlin the lead before Brian Behrendt (63'/penalty) and Lion Lauberbach (66') scored for Braunschweig.
Shortly after the restart, Hertha even conceded the 2:3 through Immanuel Pherai (91'), before Lucas Tousart (103') and Dodi Lukebakio (106') ensured the lead again.
But Bryan Henning's goal (118th) resulted in a penalty shoot-out.
"Extremely annoying that we showed such a dominant game over long stretches in the first 90 minutes and then left the field as losers today," said the new Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz after the game.
It is not the first embarrassing bankruptcy of Berliners in Braunschweig.
In 2020, Hertha also lost to Lower Saxony in the first round 4: 5 in regular time.
Mainz without any trouble – Kiel out
In the game that started at the same time, Hertha's league rivals Mainz 05 shot effortlessly into the next round.
In the end, Mainz deservedly won 3-0 (1-0) against Erzgebirge Aue, who were relegated to the second division.
Dominik Kohr (41st), Delano Burgzorg (70th) and Marcus Ingvartsen (79th, penalties) scored in front of 8446 spectators for the Rheinhessen, who are visiting VfL Bochum at the start of the Bundesliga season on Saturday
Second division team Holstein Kiel lost 3:5 on penalties at third division team SV Waldhof Mannheim.
It was 0-0 after extra time.
Fridolin Wagner converted the decisive penalty kick for the hosts, who were absolutely equal in the game worth seeing.
As in the previous year, SV Waldhof reached the second round.
At that time, the Badeners had eliminated the later Europa League winner Eintracht Frankfurt.
kjo/dpa/sid
