German Cup: Paderborn claim third giantkilling scalp
December 19, 2017
SC Paderborn claimed victory over a higher-division team for the third successive round of the German Cup. For a club that's been through some tough times of late, Tuesday's win over Ingolstadt was massive.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin
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A little over two years ago SC Paderborn were a Bundesliga club. Under the stewardship of talented young coach Andre Breitenreiter, the club were dining at the top table for the first time in their history.
But after relegation in 2014-15, they fell through the leagues during two seasons that also included the ill-fated reign of Germany great Stefan Effenberg, only avoiding relegation to the regional divisions last term thanks to the collapse of 1860 Munich. Which is why a hard-fought and fully deserved 1-0 win over second-division Ingolstadt was celebrated so vociferously by the 14,500 spectators in their sold out Benteler-Arena.
The victory will also see the club collect €1.3 million ($1.54 million), doubling their annual TV income from league matches.
"This is indescribable, we have gone to our limits and been rewarded for it," said midfielder Robin Krausse after the final whistle had blown and Ben Zolinski's second-half strike had proved enough .
As big a win as this was, it qualifies as less of a surprise than first meets the eye. Despite their struggles in the last few years, Paderborn, now coached by former Bundesliga journeyman Steffen Baumgart, are sitting in the second automatic promotion spot in the 3.Liga with an eight point gap to the playoff spot. Plus, they've already knocked out second tier St. Pauli and Bochum in the cup this year.
They also have a 15-0 win to their name in knockout football this term, in the Westphalia Cup. Though the fact that they're entered in to a state cup at all demonstrates their lowly status right now.
Their brush with obscurity seems to have revitalised a club whose previous biggest Cup upset - a 4-2 win over Hamburg in the 2004-055 German Cup - was tainted when it emerged that the referee had taken money from Croatian gambling groups to fix the match.
With plenty of Germany's big guns set to be in the hat, Baumgart and his charges will be hoping to make an even more positive impression in the last eight this year.
German Cup: Last 16 results
Bayern Munich knocked out holders Borussia Dortmund, with Bayer Leverkusen also going through courtesy of another Leon Bailey goal. There were also wins for Werder Bremen and Frankfurt in the last 16 of the German Cup.
Image: imago/J. Huebner
Mönchengladbach 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Another strike by Leon Bailey proved the difference for Bayer Leverkusen, who march into the last eight and will fancy themselves to go all the way this year. Bailey has been Leverkusen's key man in recent weeks and this ice cold finish in the 71st minute settled a close game at Borussia-Park.
Image: imago/J. Huebner
Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Thomas Müller's exquisite finish gave Bayern a commanding two-goal lead after Jerome Boateng's header had put the hosts ahead. Dortmund hit back through a Andriy Yarmolenko header in the 77th minute, but it was too little too late as Bayern held on for a win that sent the holders packing.
Image: Reuters/M. Rehle
Werder Bremen 3-2 Freiburg
Freiburg protest the awarding of Bremen's third goal, which should have been disallowed after an offside and a foul in the build-up. That strike by Philipp Bargfrede proved the winner after earlier goals by Ishak Belfodil and Florian Kainz had seen the hosts race into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes, before Freiburg's Nils Petersen and Yoric Ravet pegged them back.
Image: Reuters/M. Mac Matzen
Heidenheim 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
After a goalless 90 minutes, this game exploded into life in extra time. Frankfurt took the lead through Mijat Gacinovic in the 95th minute, but Heidenheim weren't going down without a fight and levelled the contest a minute later through Marc Schnatterer, but the winning goal came courtesy of Frenchman Sébastien Haller, who slotted home from close range.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Scheuber
Schalke 1-0 Cologne
Schalke's excellent season continues. Not only do they end 2017 second in the Bundesliga, but are into the quarter finals of the German Cup. They were made to work for their victory over Cologne, but it eventually came courtesy of Max Meyer's 64th minute header, which looped over the helpless Timo Horn in the Cologne goal. Schalke are aiming to win the competiton for the first time since 2011.
Image: Reuters/W. Rattay
Paderborn 1-0 Ingolstadt
Ben Zolinski was the hero for Paderborn as the third tier club saw off Ingolstadt to reach the quarter finals of the German Cup. Zolinski's 56th minute strike into the roof of the net settled the tie to ensure that the club who almost sunk into Germany's Regionalliga at the end of last season continue their magical run to the last eight.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin
Nürnberg 0-2 Wolfsburg (AET)
Felix Uduokhai scores the first of Wolfsburg's two extra time goals which sent Martin Schmidt's side into the last eight. Mario Gomez and substitute Divock Origi had each hit the post in normal time, but Nürnberg's resistence was finally broken in the 97th minute. Daniel Didavi added a second late on as Wolfsburg look to win the crown they won in 2015.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Widmann
Mainz 3-1 Stuttgart
Mainz scored three second half goals to come from behind to beat Stuttgart. Christian Gentner had put Stuttgart's noses in front shortly before the break, but Mainz came out strongly in the second half. Emil Berggreen drew the hosts level before a key strike from Abdou Diallo put Mainz in front. Suat Serdar made it three in stoppage time to put the icing on the cake.
