Holders Borussia Dortmund are out of this season’s DFB Cup at the Round of 16 stage after a first-half strike from Etienne Amenyido and an Axel Witsel own goal helped second-tier St. Pauli to a 2-1 win and a place in the the quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years.

St. Pauli 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 1-0 Amenyido 4' (assist: Hartel), 2-0 Witsel (o.g. 40'), 2-1 Haaland (pen. 58')

Dortmund had won their previous eight DFB Cup games before facing 2 Bundesliga leaders, Pauli, but BVB were quickly up against it at a lively Millerntor-Stadion where Etienne Amenyido connected with Marcel Hartel’s cut-back before finishing from close range. Thorgan Hazard was the two-goal hero as Dortmund progressed past Ingolstadt to set up this Round of 16 tie, yet he was denied an equaliser here when goalkeeper Dennis Smarsch came out on top in a one-v-one duel with the Belgian. Smarsch then repelled a Marco Reus effort, before Erling Haaland blasted over as the visitors increased the pressure. Undeterred, Pauli rekindled memories of a famous run to the tournament’s last four back in 2005/06 - the last time Die Kiezkicker had reached even this round - when Timo Schultz’s men doubled their lead before the break. Aiming to clear Guido Burgstaller’s menacing centre, Witsel inadvertently hacked into his own net, to the delight of the home fans.

Despite being top dogs in Germany’s second tier, the hosts had failed to win any of their previous three games before facing the Bundesliga’s second-placed side. It didn’t appear to affect morale as the Hamburg-based team almost increased their lead soon after the restart, Burgstaller’s header towards the corner smartly saved by Gregor Kobel. Still Pauli pressed, until the referee paused the action to confirm Jakov Medic had handled in the home area during a previous move. Never in doubt, Haaland stroked home the subsequent spot kick to breathe life into Marco Rose’s men. The five-time winners subsequently went in search of an all-important equaliser, however, tame Jude Bellingham and Donyell Malen efforts aside, Die Schwarzgelben never seriously threatened Smarsch’s goal as Pauli comfortably held on for a famous scalp.

Match stats

• Dortmund have either gone out at the last-16 stage or won the competition in the last nine seasons.
• Pauli last beat Dortmund on 30 November 1989 in the Bundesliga. They have two top-flight wins from 16 previous meetings, with Dortmund winning 11 and the two teams sharing three draws.
• While defending champions Dortmund have five DFB Cup trophies, St. Pauli have never won the competition. The furthest they have reached is the 2005/06 semi-finals, when they were beaten 3-0 by Bayern Munich.
• Haaland has scored eight goals in seven DFB Cup matches since joining Dortmund.
• Youssoufa Moukoko started his youth career at Pauli and scored 23 goals in just 13 games for Die Kiezkicker's age group teams.
• Dortmund had won their last eight DFB Cup matches, last losing in the competition since the 3-2 defeat to Werder Bremen in the 2019/20 round of 16.

Line-ups

Pauli: Smarsch – Ohlsson (Zander 74'), Lawrence (c), Medic, Paqarada – Smith, Irvine, Becker, Hartel – Amenyido (Dittgen 75'), Burgstaller (Makienok 90')
Unused subs: Vasilj, Ziereis, Buchtmann, Daschner, Ritzka, Benatelli
Out: Avevor (ankle), Kyereh (Africa Cup of Nations), Wieckhoff (knee)
Coach: Timo Schultz

Dortmund: Kobel – Meunier, Akanji (Zagadou 76'), Hummels, Guerreiro – Bellingham, Witsel (Moukoko 90') – Brandt, Reus (c), Hazard (Malen 65') – Haaland
Unused subs: Hitz, Schulz, Reinier, Tigges, Pongracic, Wolf
Out: Can (hip), Dahoud (back), Morey (knee), Reyna (match fitness), Schmelzer (knee), Unbehaun (hand)
Coach: Marco Rose

As it happened!

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