Arminia Bielefeld eliminated from DFB-Pokal after penalty loss

Arminia Bielefeld has been eliminated from the DFB-Pokal in the first round following a 2-5 loss on penalties to third-division side SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. After the match ended in a 2-2 draw through regulation and extra time, Bielefeld failed to convert their attempts in the shootout.

Coach Oliver Kirch expressed significant disappointment, criticizing his players' mental focus and stating that the team failed to handle the transition from being underdogs to favorites. Kirch described the performance as a collective failure, noting that no individual player maintained a standard form during the match.