DFB Pokal Player Ratings | SG Sonnenhof Großaspach 2-4 Augsburg

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Bundesliga DFB-Pokal participants Augsburg have survived a scare from 3. Liga opponents SG Sonnenhof Großaspach and advanced to the third round of the 2026/27 competition with a 2-4 away win at the WIRmachenDRUCK Arena. Großaspach put in a determined performance on their home turf, nearly knocking the Fuggerstädter out of the German cup in the second round for the second consecutive season. FCA head coach Manuel Baum nevertheless ensured that the favorites would prevail with a pair of astute substitutions.

Augsburg secure an early lead

The hosts made little attempt to press forward in the opening 10 minutes, sitting deep in a low block in the hopes of absorbing FCA pressure. Brave defending from the 3. Liga outfit kept the Bavarian Swabian guests without a shot on target for quite some time despite attempts to find a way through via virtually all angles. The “DorfKlub” were even able to send in an effort of their own via a Tim Rossmann set-piece in the 9th minute. Augsburg’s 65 percent possession certainly counted as one form of dominance, but hope remained alive.

The top-flight side eventually managed to secure the 1-0 in the 13th minute. Mert Kömür and Robin Fellhauer were involved in a move that saw striker Rodrigo Ribeiro eventually receive the ball from not far out centrally. SG94 keeper Maximilian Reule couldn’t get a good view through a maze of bodies in the box, enabling the Portuguese attacker to roll the ball in easily on the turn. To their immense credit, the underdog hosts quickly demonstrated that they had no intention of folding.

Großaspach overcome potential backbreaker

Pascal Reinhardt’s XI – unchanged since a heavy 1-7 defeat against SV Wehen Wiesbaden in their last 3. Liga match – began threatening along the right-hand side. In the 21st minute, SG94 midfielder Marius Kunde struck the post with a distance effort. The hosts truly appeared snake-bit when FCA defender Hennes Behrens spotted Ribeiro breaking upfield. Behrens connected with a beautiful ball. Ribeiro, just as casually as he did during his first goal, rolled the ball past helpless keeper Reule.

Once again threatened with demoralization, the proper Swabians refused to lie down. Less than a minute later, a quick throw-in from Niklas Pollex enabled left-back Luca Molinari to place the ball in the back of the Augsburg net. A capacity crowd of 10,000 at the WIRmachenDRUCK Arena waited with bated breath whilst a lengthy VAR review checked for a possible offside position. Match official Patrick Schwengers officially confirmed the 1-2 in the 24th minute, sending the locals and their ultra section into convulsions.

End-to-end action reigns for the rest of the half

Sufficiently loosened up by the three goals, both teams showed little aversion to risk over the course of the rest of the opening half. The crowd found itself treated to some very entertaining football in which the ball swung from end to end. A clear-cut scoring opportunity may not have emerged for a while, but the optical quality of the football ensured that few spent much time sitting passively in their seats. Großaspach fullbacks Molinari and Rahn pressed exceedingly high, each generating half chances of their own.

Shortly before the end of the first 45, the hosts came close to equalizing twice. FCA keeper Finn Dahmen had to remain on his toes to parry a deflected effort in the 45th. One minute later, SG striker Pollex nearly bungled the ball over the line. Before it was time to head into the locker rooms, Augsburg’s Young-Woo Seol forced an excellent save out of keeper Reule at 45+2. The hosts were gradually working their way into the game. One had the sense that the second half had something special in store.

The equalizer comes!

A corner two minutes after the restart enabled the underdogs to equalize. At first, nothing appeared to come of the 47th-minute dead ball. Lively SG94 fullback Luca Molinari was nevertheless able to get a second cross in. Großaspach skipper Volkan Celiktas rose highest to head the 2-2 home. The Bundesliga club, visibly rattled, struggled to mount a response. The hosts appeared content to allow the ball to circulate through the FCA ranks, but Baum’s charges couldn’t punch through with anything coherent.

Baum’s substitutes swing the match

The hour mark came and went with nothing to show for the Augsburg efforts beyond a couple of blocked shots. The Bundesliga trainer opted to freshen things up with the introduction of Arijon Ibrahimovic and Anton Kade in the 65th minute. Within ten minutes, both FCA subs got their names on the scoresheet. Juma Bah and Behrens were able to get a poorly fisted corner away to Ibrahimovic in the 70th. The Bayern Munich loanee finished from about 25 meters out with a curling effort into the right corner.

Four minutes after that, it was once again Behrens supplying the assist for Kade. The 74th-minute 4-2 came from close range after a short counter the leggy hosts simply weren’t able to cope with. From that point forward, it was the Bundesliga side that looked more likely to score. Keeper Reule denied Fellhauer a chance at the 5-2 in the 83rd. The hosts were able to put together a pair of decent attacking sorties before the full-time whistle blew, but the guests never truly relinquished control of the game.

SG Sonnenhof Großaspach Player Ratings

Maximilian Reule (5) – Luca Molinari (8), Arbnor Nuraj (5), Antonis Aidonis (5), Elias Rahn (7) – Tim Rossmann (6), Volkan Celiktas (7), Marius Kunde (7), Loris Maier (6) – Niklas Pollex (7), Fabian Eisele (6)

Substitutes: Christian Mistl (-), Marlon Faß (-), Leon Maier (-), Lukas Stoppel (-), Nikos Zografakis (-)

FC Augsburg Player Ratings

Finn Dahmen (6) – Juma Bah (6), Chrislain Matsima (6), Yannik Keitel (5) – Young-Woo Seol (5), Han-Noah Massengo (5), Fabian Rieder (5), Hennes Behrens (9) – Robin Fellhauer (6), Mert Kömür (5) – Rodrigo Ribeiro (7)

Substitutes: Arijon Ibrahimovic (7), Anton Kade (7), Michael Gregoritsch (-)

GGFN DFB-Pokal Player of the Match: Hennes Behrens (9)

FC Augsburg’s Hennes Behrens takes home our Player of the Match award following an energetic and highly influential performance. The 21-year-old was a constant presence on the left flank, combining attacking initiative with an impressive willingness to contest challenges and contribute defensively.

The numbers underline his involvement. Behrens registered 99 touches, completed 80 percent of his 59 attempted passes, and succeeded with five of his six dribbles. He also won 63 percent of his 19 duels and prevailed in all four of his aerial challenges. His attacking contributions included two shots, three assists, and three chances created.

Behrens’ development has been followed closely by Get German Football News since his summer arrival in Augsburg. The former TSG Hoffenheim prospect impressed during a loan spell with Heidenheim last season before joining Manuel Baum’s squad in search of regular Bundesliga football.

As noted in GGFN’s comprehensive Augsburg season preview, Behrens’ versatility, athleticism, and ability to provide attacking impetus from deeper positions appeared ideally suited to Baum’s plans. His performance in Aspach provided another encouraging demonstration of those qualities.

Several Großaspach players also deserve honorable mentions. Luca Molinari (8) was among the most impressive players on the pitch, scoring the hosts’ first-half goal. Elias Rahn (7), Volkan Celiktas (7), Marius Kunde (7), and Niklas Pollex (7) also earned considerable credit for their contributions against Bundesliga opposition.

Kunde came particularly close to making an impact on the scoresheet when he struck the post from distance, while Pollex supplied the assist for Molinari’s goal. Their performances ensured that Augsburg’s higher-division status did not translate into an entirely comfortable evening.

GGFN | Peter Weis