Borussia Dortmund through in DFB Cup after shootout win in Frankfurt

Borussia Dortmund reached the 2025/26 DFB Cup last 16 after a penalty shootout win over Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt.

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Borussia Dortmund (Dortmund won 4-2 on pens.)
Goals: 1-0 Knauff 7' (assist: Götze), 1-1 Brandt 48' (assist: Ryerson)

Frankfurt scored early through former Dortmund youngster Ansgar Knauff, but the Black-Yellows hit back soon after the restart as Julian Brandt converted Julian Ryerson's teasing right-wing cross from close range.

Eintracht went closest to winning it inside 90 minutes when Ritsu Dōan hit the woodwork, while Jonathan Burkardt had an extra-time winner ruled out as the contest went to penalties.

Dortmund scored all four of their penalties, while Dōan missed Eintracht's second attempt and Gregor Kobel saved from Farès Chaïbi to seal a 4-2 shootout win.

See all the 2025/26 DFB Cup fixtures and results

As it happened!

1 - 1

(1 - 0)

Frankfurt

FINAL

Dortmund

DFB Pokal
Second round Second round Deutsche Bank Park

Full-time! Frankfurt 1-1 Dortmund (BVB win 4-2 on pens.)

Dortmund advance after a dramatic night of cup football. Frankfurt took an early lead, only for Brandt to level for the visitors after the restart. Eintracht went closest to winning it when Doan hit the woodwork inside 90 minutes, before a goalless period of extra-time set up a penalty shootout. BVB were flawless from the spot, while Doan and Chaïbi slipped up for the crestfallen hosts.

© IMAGO/HMB Media/Claus

120'

Chaïbi - SAVED!

Kobel's the hero. Frankfurt are out, but Dortmund march on.

120'

Nmecha - SCORES

Cool as you like as BVB move a step closer to the last 16...

120'

Batshuayi - SCORES

Confident from the Belgian, who keeps Eintracht's cup dream alive...

120'

Chukwuemeka - SCORES

Right in the corner. Dortmund are three from three from 12 yards...

120'

Doan - MISSES

The Japanese attacker blazes his penalty over to give Dortmund a 2-1 lead...

120'

Süle - SCORES

The defender squeezes his effort beyond Zetterer...

120'

Uzun - SCORES

All square after two penalties. Kobel went the wrong way...

120'

Silva - SCORES

Advantage Dortmund...

120'

Win or bust!

The contest ends 1-1 after 120 minutes, so it's over to the lottery of penalties to decide who will advance to the round of 16. BVB will take the first spot-kick...

Penalty shootout

119'

Bats-man on

Another ex-Dortmund player, Michy Batshuayi, replaces second-half sub Bahoya. That's surely been done with penalties in mind...

118'

Substitution

Michy Batshuayi

Jean-Mattéo Bahoya

117'

Schlotterbeck from downtown!

Some hit by the Dortmund defender. It's rising and Zetterer is taking no chances, the Frankfurt keeper flying to his right to push it away. Schlotterbeck heads over from the resultant corner.

115'

Disallowed goal!

Frankfurt think they've won it as Burkardt sticks out a leg to convert Doan's free-kick from close range, but the linesman's flag had already gone up. That all came about after a foul by Silva on Brown.

114'

Yellow card

Fabio Silva

113'

Blocked!

Koch does really well to adjust his body at the near post and stop Ryerson's cross from finding Guirassy. That would have been a certain goal!

109'

Denied!

Süle - a striker in his youth - jinks into the Frankfurt area before being dispossessed as he prepared to shoot. For a moment, it looked like he was going to be in!

106'

It's tense!

One last push needed at Deutsche Bank Park...

Kick-off!

Fifteen more minutes to play

Will there be a late twist in the tale in Frankfurt?

© IMAGO/Marc Schueler

Half-time

104'

Acrobatics!

Chukwuemeka pulls back an inviting cross that drifts across the six-yard penalty area for Silva to pick up. He gets the better of Zetterer and crosses for Guirassy, who sends an ambitious overhead attempt over. Tired defending from Frankfurt...

102'

Kobel at full stretch!

Kobel dives to his left to stop Chaïbi's rising strike form finding the top corner. He'll take some beating, if this does go to penalties...

99'

Caution

Chaïbi goes into the book after catching Nmecha a little late. No malice in that.

99'

Yellow card

Farès Chaïbi

95'

Off cue

Silva does really well to keep the ball in play as Dortmund threaten on the break, but his cross into the penalty area doesn't find its intended target.

92'

Warning shot

Doan beats his marker to an in-swinging cross, but the pint-sized Japan international can't keep his header on goal.

91'

Midfield changes

Kovač tries to inject some energy into his midfield with the introduction of Chukwuemeka and Nmecha. Sabitzer and Brandt were certainly feeling it at the end of the 90.

91'

Substitution

Carney Chukwuemeka

Julian Brandt

91'

Substitution

Felix Nmecha

Marcel Sabitzer

Extra time

Extra-time to come!

Julian Brandt's equaliser early in the second half sends this one to extra-time. Thirty more minutes - and possibly penalties - to come...

© IMAGO/Heiko Becker

End of second half

90'

+ 2

Nobody home!

Doan slips a pass into the penalty area for Kristensen, who whips a first-time cross into the six-yard area, but no one in a white shirt gambles. Huge chance not taken!

90'

Time added on

Four minutes go up on the fourth official's board as Silva runs in off the left and nearly catches out Zetterer at his near post.

88'

Attacking switch

The Frankfurt goalscorer makes way after a very energetic display against his former club. Bahoya, who hasn't scored since hitting a brace on the opening day of the Bundesliga season, is sent on. He was also on target in the DFB Cup first round.

88'

Substitution

Jean-Mattéo Bahoya

Ansgar Knauff

85'

Silva sent on

Fábio Silva scored from the bench in Copenhagen and set up Beier's winner as a sub against Cologne last week. What's the Portuguese forward got up his sleeve today?

84'

Substitution

Fabio Silva

Maximilian Beier

81'

Chances!

Desperately close to another Frankfurt goal as Doan darts inside and smashes an effort against the crossbar. Uzun then draws a flying save from Kobl with another fierce strike from outside the area.

78'

Here comes Guirassy!

Dortmund's top scorer replaces Adeyemi. He's got six goals this season, but none in four competitive games since 1 October...

77'

Substitution

Serhou Guirassy

Karim Adeyemi

73'

Fresh legs

Uzun and Skhiri - the two Eintracht players who dropped to the bench for this one - join the action. This could yet go to extra-time and penalties, remember...

72'

Substitution

Ellyes Skhiri

Hugo Larsson

72'

Substitution

Can Uzun

Mario Götze

69'

Strong goalkeeping

Knauff latches onto a quick forward pass up the middle. He races towards the edge of the area, before testing Kobel's reflexes with a low shot across goal. Koch's attempted header from the ensuing corner also finds the BVB stopper's gloves.

67'

Battling run

Adeyemi tries to beat four white shirts, but Theate has too much muscle for the Dortmund forward. BVB come again as Ryerson forces a corner, which is cleared.

63'

Neat football

Doan rolls Svensson with a fabulous turn on the right-hand touchline. The ball's worked over to Brown, but his long-range shot bobbles harmlessly wide of the far post.

61'

Sabitzer down

The Austrian takes an accidental stray hand to the nose as Dortmund swarm the Frankfurt penalty area. Zetterer claims Brandt's eventual cross, before Sabitzer gets back to his feet.

Touch paper lit

Four goals and counting for Brandt this season, and no better time to strike.

© KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

52'

Side netting

Frankfurt win a free-kick on the corner of the Dortmund area. Chaibi elects to go around wall, but can only find the side netting. Kobel had it covered, in any case.

48'

Game on!

What a start from Dortmund. They move the play really effectively from left to right with Svensson and Bellingham. Ryerson arrows in a peach of a low ball that travels across the six-yard area, with Brandt arriving to force it home.

48'

Julian Brandt

GOAL!

1:1

46'

Here we go again!

Big second half of football to come in Frankfurt...

46'

One change

Young Anselmino's hooked after that booking at the end of the first 45, with Niklas Süle his replacement.

46'

Substitution

Niklas Süle

Aarón Anselmino

Half-time! Frankfurt 1-0 Dortmund

Knauff's early goal is the difference at the break. Frankfurt have looked a threat whenever transitioning into attack and, crucially, have given precious little away at the back. It's certainly not the Eintracht we've seen ship goals left, right and centre for much of the season - can BVB find a way through in the second half?

© IMAGO/HMB Media/Claus

45'

Three added minutes

No prizes for guessing who'll be the happier of the two head coaches if it stays like this. Frankfurt have been very disciplined in their approach and have the lead...

43'

Thin ice

Anselmino is all over Brown, pulling at the Frankfurt defender's shirt and dragging him to the deck. Moments later, he escapes with just a talking-to after barging into the back of his Eintracht counterpart.

41'

Yellow card

Aarón Anselmino

38'

Go-an!

Kobel gets right behind a well-struck effort from Doan, who showed great feet to peel away from Svensson on the Dortmund left.

35'

Smart play

A lovely passing move concludes with Chaïbi winning a corner with a deflected strike from range. Dortmund get it away, though.

31'

Solid challenge

Frankfurt break after Burkardt is first to a teasing Brandt cross into the penalty area. Knauff drives into the Dortmund box, but Anselmino steps across to knock him off his stride and clear. Very assured stuff from the Chelsea-owned youngster.

28'

Right idea

Brandt feeds the forward run of Adeyemi, but Koch expertly holds him off and Zetterer is able to gather.

25'

Half chance

Ryerson floats a cross in from the right-hand side, but it's an awkward one for Bellingham, who can't get out from under the ball and heads over.

Point to prove

That's Knauff's fourth goal in 13 competitive games so far this season. He scored once in 16 senior outings for BVB, and looks really up for this one.

© KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

18'

Pass and move

Decent passage of play for Dortmund after that early set-back. They're moving the ball with confidence, albeit without threatening in an attacking sense.

15'

Nervy

A near-post corner is flicked towards the centre of the six-yard area, where Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer tries to punch clear but completely miscues. Dortmund get another bite of the cherry, but Svensson's delivery is just about dealt with.

13'

Slick move

Frankfurt burst forward with Knauff, who sends Burkardt away down the left-hand side before continuing his run. Burkardt stands up a cross to the back post, where Knauff cushions a header back to Chaïbi, but he drags his effort wide. It wouldn't have counted, though - the flag had gone up for offside.

10'

Burkardt concern

Frankfurt's No.9 pulled up for a moment, but he looks like he's going to try and run this off. The Germany international has had his fair share of injury issues down the years...

7'

Frankfurt lead!

Well, well. Frankfurt punish Dortmund's high line as Svensson's attempted clearance is picked off just over halfway. Götze slips a brilliant pass in behind for the run of Knauff, who coolly slots past the advancing Kobel. A goal with roots in Dortmund!

7'

Ansgar Knauff

GOAL!

1:0

3'

Tense start

Some nice combinations early on, but no risks being taken by either side.

1'

Under way!

It's a game worthy of the final - which one of these two Bundesliga giants will march on?

Kick-off!

Familiar faces

Nathaniel Brown and Ansgar Knauff are two more ex-Dortmund faces, as is 2014 World Cup winner Mario Götze. All three players start today.

Here they come

The place is packed as the teams enter the field. It's very loud in Frankfurt, despite the early kick-off slot...

Cup heavyweights

Dortmund are five-time DFB Cup winners (1964/65, 1988/89, 2011/12, 2016/17 and 2020/21. In 2016/17, a team coached by Thomas Tuchel edged Kovač's Frankfurt 2-1 in the final. Eintracht are also five-time winners.

The Kovač factor

Kovač oversaw 91 games in charge of Frankfurt between March 2016 and summer 2018, winning the 2017/18 DFB Cup after defeating Bayern Munich 3-1 in the final. He went on to do a domestic double with former club Bayern, before spells in charge of Monaco and Wolfsburg. This will be his 38th game as head coach of BVB since taking over at the end of January.

Resurgent BVB

Since losing 4-0 at Barcelona in their 2024/25 Champions League quarter-final first leg on 9 April, BVB have lost just two of 24 competitive games (W18, D4) - to Real Madrid (FIFA Club World Cup) and Bayern Munich (Bundesliga).

2:03

Previous meeting: Frankfurt 2-0 Dortmund

The Eagles took all three points in the Bundesliga back in January. Dortmund also won 2-0 at home earlier in the 2024/25 campaign.

More on those teams

Toppmöller makes two changes to the team that beat Mainz at the weekend, with Hugo Larsson and Mario Götze coming in for Ellyes Skhiri and Can Uzun. There are five for Dortmund, meanwhile, as Felix Nmecha, Pascal Groß, Carney Chukwuemeka and Serhou Guirassy make way for Jobe Bellingham, Marcel Sabitzer, Julian Brandt and Saturday matchwinner Maxi Beier. There's also a start in defence for Chelsea loanee Aarón Anselmino, who replaces the injured Ramy Bensebaini.

1:08

Watch: More from Dino Toppmöller

1:20

Watch: More from Niko Kovač

Kovač on Guirassy's dry spell

“I see that he's not scoring goals at the moment. But I also see that he's working hard. It happens sometimes in a striker's career that the ball just won't go in. I'm backing him, he is and remains a very, very important player.”

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

Toppmöller on in-form Burkardt

"We signed Jonny because we knew what he was capable of. He is a penalty area striker who knows exactly where to run in the box, and also has a very positive impact on our defensive play with his work-rate."

© IMAGO/HMB Media/Claus

Dino Toppmöller on facing Dortmund

"We know that BVB are a very disciplined and hardworking team that has become incredibly strong under Niko Kovač. What gives me hope is my team, that is capable of exceeding its own limits. It's a game for which we won't get a second chance. It's a cup game that, based on the two teams, could just as easily have taken place in Berlin."

© IMAGO/Jürgen Kessler

Niko Kovač on facing Frankfurt

“They've scored a lot of goals, but they've also conceded quite a few. They have a lot of potential, they're young and talented. We have to play our game from the 1st to the 90th or even 120th minute. Every team wants to go to Berlin and we know how difficult it is, but we have shown in recent games that we have what it takes.”

© LISELOTTE SABROE

Ferocious attack vs. stubborn defence

Frankfurt are the second highest scoring team in the league, with 21 netted so far. They'll be facing the second best defence in the league, however, with Dortmund having only conceded six goals so far.

© DFL/GettyImages/Christian Kaspar-Bartke

Centurion Felix

Nmecha has enjoyed a real resurgence under Niko Kovač this campaign, and his appearance over the weekend in Dortmund's narrow 1-0 victory over Cologne marked the No.8's 100th Bundesliga appearance. Goals have been introduced to his game of late too, with the midfielder currently enjoying his second-best return of goals in his career in Germany (four), after just 12 games played in all competitions. Even with the outrageous numbers posted by Serhou Guirassy, Frankfurt may need to beware a threat from deeper within the Dortmund lines.

© Christof Koepsel

Eintracht's difference maker?

Burkardt has been in fine form since joining Die Adler, with his weekend brace against St. Pauli marking his fifth and sixth goals in his seven Bundesliga appearances for Eintracht this term. In 11 appearances across all competitions too, the former Mainz talisman has amassed an impressive nine-goal tally and has thoroughly been enjoying life as Frankfurt's new attacking linchpin.

© IMAGO/Patrick Scheiber

1:00

Watch: Frankfurt 2-0 St. Pauli

Jonathan Burkardt's brace fired Eintracht back to winning ways and to within four points of top-six rivals Dortmund in the Bundesliga standings.

1:07

Watch: Dortmund 1-0 Cologne

Max Beier scored deep into added time as BVB edge Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

A proven cup winner

Dortmund boss Niko Kovač famously guided Frankfurt to DFB Cup glory in 2018, beating Bayern in the final having already lifted the trophy as a player with the Munich club. He would win it again while in charge of the Bavarians the following year as he personally retained the trophy. Of his 27 DFB Cup games as a coach, the former Croatia boss has won 24. The aforementioned 2017 final loss to Dortmund with Frankfurt and two defeats in charge of Wolfsburg in the round of 16 in 2022/23 and 2023/24 are his only setbacks in Germany's cup competition.

© imago images / Sven Simon

Previous round

Frankfurt eventually made light work of fifth-tier Engers in the first round. They needed 44 minutes for Jean-Mattéo Bahoya to net the first goal back in August, before a Ritsu Dōan and late gloss from Elye Wahi and Paxten Aaronson made it a comfortable 5-0 win for the 2018 DFB Cup winners.

© IMAGO/HMB Media/Claus

Previous round

Serhou Guirassy hit the only goal of the game 11 minutes from time as Dortmund edged past neighbours Rot-Weiss Essen in the first round back in August.

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

Cup history

Both of these teams have won the DFB Cup five times. Dortmund in 1965, 1989, 2012, 2017 and 2021; Frankfurt in 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988 and 2018.

© IMAGO/osnapix / Marcus Hirnschal

2:03

Watch: Previous meeting - Frankfurt 2-0 Dortmund

The most recent encounter between these two was in January 2025, when the Eagles earned a 2-0 victory on Matchday 18. That was one of 34 victories in this fixture; Dortmund have won 54, with 21 draws.

Fond memories for Dortmund

The last time these sides locked horns in the cup was in the 2017 final, when goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (pictured) gave Dortmund victory. BVB have won the last three cup meetings overall, with Frankfurt successful in the two before that.

© imago/Jörg Schüler

Welcome!

Sit back and enjoy match build-up, live text commentary and reaction as Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Cup second round!