Dortmund’s win had ‘everything that makes the DFB-Pokal wonderful’, says Kovac

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Niko Kovac believes Borussia Dortmund’s win over HEBC had “everything that makes the DFB-Pokal so wonderful” after they booked their place in the second round.

Dortmund cruised through their first-round clash with a 5-0 victory as Samuele Inacio scored a brace at Volksparkstadion.

While the Black and Yellow were frustrated in the opening half-hour, once Janek Wrede’s own goal got the scoring going, Dortmund were in total control.

Daniel Svensson and Fabio Silva were also on the scoresheet, as Dortmund racked up 36 attempts and had 101 touches in HEBC’s box in a dominant performance.

Kovac is thrilled his side are through to the next round, but he also praised HEBC’s approach.

“We saw everything we love about the DFB-Pokal and everything that makes it so wonderful!” he told RTL.

“It was the way [HEBC] pumped themselves up and threw themselves into every ball. It was the goalies celebrating every save, along with the fans. For them, it was the match of a lifetime.

“We all started small at some point. Those guys truly enjoyed it, and I’m really happy for them. It was a great day. We’re moving on to the next round, and the atmosphere was all-around fantastic.”

This was an away game. pic.twitter.com/MDykV9iBMP

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) September 1, 2026

Dortmund have won the DFB-Pokal five times, most recently in 2020-21 when they beat RB Leipzig in the final.

They have failed to make it to the showpiece since then and were knocked out in the third round last season, but Felix Nmecha has his eyes on the trophy this time around.

“We enjoyed the game. It meant a lot to them, and they did well. You could really feel the energy from the fans, too,” he told Sky Sports Germany.

“In the end, we got the goals we needed. It’s an important win for us and a wonderful experience for them.

“Everyone who competes in the DFB-Pokal wants to win it. That’s our goal. We have to play well in every round and hopefully keep winning.”

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