Borussia Mönchengladbach said goodbye to the thrilling second division leaders Darmstadt 98 early in the DFB Cup. Coach Daniel Farke’s team disappointed in the 1:2 (0:1) against rebellious Lilien for long stretches and missed the entry into the round of 16 after an uninspired performance.
Phillip Tietz (23rd) and Aaron Seydel (79th) shocked the favorite Bundesliga team in the atmospheric stadium at the Böllenfalltor – and after 2013 ensured the underdog’s victory again. Luca Netz (48th) only managed to equalize in the meantime. Nine years ago, the Foals failed in a penalty shoot-out in the first round at the then third division team Darmstadt.
“It’s another festival that we’re celebrating here, but this time a special one,” said Darmstadt’s goalscorer Seydel on “Sky”. “These are awesome moments, that’s what you went to the football field for as a child, to experience something like that, to celebrate victories like that.”
Lieberknecht: “We were very brave”
“A duel at Bundesliga level” Farke had expected before the game. In addition, the Gladbach coach only changed the eleven of the three-time cup winners to two positions compared to the league game in Wolfsburg (2: 2), net and starting eleven debutant Nathan Ngoumou moved into the team.
“On such evenings you also need a bit of luck,” said Lieberknecht in the “ARD” interview. “But we had the better chances to score, we were very brave and took risks.” That was worth it.
Darmstadt remains snappy until the final whistle
The game in front of 15,850 fans started with a moment of shock for Borussia. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer twisted his ankle early on when intercepting a cross. He was initially able to continue playing, but then had to be replaced by Tobias Sippel after just twelve minutes.
Otherwise, not much went together in the Bundesliga sixth. Sluggish, unimaginative, vulnerable – this is how Farkes Elf presented itself, who for a long time found no remedy against the passionate performance of the Darmstadt team. Tietz punished Gladbach when he only had to push in after careful preliminary work by Marvin Mehlem.
The Lilies continued to throw everything into the balance, Matthias Bader hit the crossbar from a distance (33rd). The cracker was like a wake-up call for the guests from the Lower Rhine, who became dangerous for the first time just before the break. Marcus Thuram (37th) and Ngoumou (40th) failed.
VfL followed on from that in the second half, and Netz equalized with a tight finish. The team coached by Torsten Lieberknecht, who conquered the top of the second division at the weekend, remained vehement and reported back immediately with Braydon Manu’s (50th) post header.
As a result, an open exchange of blows developed in some cases. In the heated atmosphere, however, Borussia often didn’t get the decisive pass, while the Darmstadt team, who continued to fight bravely, lost their strength.