Just like the real DFB Cup, the virtual offshoot also had its cup sensations. In the DFB-ePokal powered by ERGO, a number of underdogs celebrated sensations – it was rarely boring or clear-cut.
As is well known, the cup has its own laws. This is true not only for the real thing, but also for its virtual offshoot – the DFB e-Cup. The sixteenth-final already demonstrated why.
The one goal difference
Directly in the first games, some amateur clubs sniffed at the sensation. However, it takes two wins from three games on the virtual pitch to advance to the next round. Haching eSports, for example, narrowly failed against the VBL CC champions from 20/21 – 1. FC Heidenheim. Only Burak ‘Burak__May’ May redeemed his team in the deciding match.
FC Augsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, went in the other direction. The Foals lost to TSG Eintracht Immenbeck in the third match. First, the underdogs went ahead and sent Borussia into the second match with much more pressure. The Gladbachers parried the match ball, but the sensation was only postponed. David ‘L2_Perla’ Perlitz decided the final battle of nerves for Immenbeck with a 3:2 win over Eleftherios ‘Lefti’ Ilia.
It was similarly exciting for SG Ensingen/Grolsheim and FC Augsburg. Here, too, the favourites were in the second leg, equalised, but lost out in the deciding match. N1ckstar’ managed to hold on to a 2-1 lead against Christoph ‘xThePunisher-96’ Geule.
Double holds better
But that was not to be the end of the story. The following day with the round of 16 also had its surprises and curiosities. SP9Esports, for example, managed to put a damper on the newly crowned VBL CC champions RB Leipzig. Mario ‘MMayo’ Reubold and Niklas ‘NRaseck’ Raseck secured victory in the two games. For Raseck in particular, it was a perfect debut – after all, he was signed especially for this tournament.
Another curious aspect: Bochum professional Sebastian Polter fielded two teams for the competition. One was the “young guns” who had lost out to Werder Bremen in the previous round. Then there was a team with more experienced players.
But RB Leipzig was not the only favourite to be eliminated. Defending champions B360 Denzlingen were also defeated in the round of 16. In both matches, Hamburger SV got the upper hand.
End of the dream for the underdogs – Drama between Cologne and Ingolstadt
The dream of the underdogs also came to an end. It started well for ‘L2_Perla’. In the penalty shoot-out, he and Riad ‘itsriaad’ Fazlija gave each other nothing – until sudden death. The Hannoverian aimed for the top left, but Perlitz guessed the corner. The decisive shot he put humorlessly into the middle.
The joy, however, was short-lived. Jannik ‘Testotier’ Berg brought 96 into the deciding match, in which Can ‘Cankoos06’ Tuna narrowly won 1:0. Highlight of the match: ‘L2_Perla’ had the decision earlier in the first match. In extra time, he was already leading 2-1 and almost scored the 3-1 with a scorpion kick in the 105th minute. However, Fazlija’s goalkeeper and the crossbar had something against it. The SG Ensingen/Grolsheim lost in two games against FC St. Pauli.
The duel between the two VBL teams Cologne and Ingolstadt was dramatic. Since the first game went narrowly 1-0 to the cathedral city team, the pressure was on Timo ‘TimoX’ Siep in the second game. The game went into extra time with a score of 2:2 – everything already looked like a penalty shoot-out. But Tim ‘TheStrxngeR’ Katnawatos did not want it to come to that. In the 112th minute, he kept his cool in the scrum and crossed out to the right. From six metres he gave Siep’s keeper no chance – the decision.
The last-minute Heidenheimers
With a lot of thrill, the day of the quarter finals started. Starting with 1. FC Heidenheim and Hamburger SV. In this match, the final minute was especially favourable to the Heidenheimers. First it was Deniel ‘Denii_10’ Mutic who scored the decisive goal shortly before the final whistle, then Burak May, who decided the game in the third just before the final goal. He kept his cool in the penalty area, crossed once and his player only had to push the ball over the line.
Heidenheim will be followed into the semi-finals by 1. FC Köln. They had to face SP9Esport, who defeated Leipzig. And this match also went down to the wire: Three games, including a penalty shoot-out, were necessary for the tense decision. In the end, it was Michael ‘Phenomeno’ Gherman who missed one too many. Denis ‘Denis’ Müller reached deep into his bag of tricks. For the all-important try, he put his goalkeeper all the way to the left. Gherman lofted into the middle – easy prey and ecstasy in Cologne.
There was certainly that at FOKUS as well. With a defeat in the bag, Mohammed ‘MoAuba’ Harkous did not let himself be ruffled. Harkous won 2:0, world champion coach Matthias ‘STYLO’ Hietsch made it to the semi-finals with a 4:1 victory.
FC St. Pauli will be waiting there. They had a thrilling northern duel with SV Werder Bremen. Just like the “Kiez”, the SVW came through the tournament without defeat. That seemed to continue in this pairing. But Mustafa ‘xMustii’ Cankal and Kamal ‘Kamal’ Kamboj had something against it. They turned the match in favour of their team.
The Hanseatic city will now meet FOKUS in the semi-finals. Heidenheim have to play against 1. FC Köln.
