Werder Bremen was the next Bundesliga club to stumble in the DFB Cup, while SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund prevented the second round from going out - albeit with some effort.

Bremen missed the leap into the round of 16 on Wednesday with a 4: 5 (2: 2, 2: 2, 0: 2) penalty shootout at second division top team SC Paderborn. Felix Platte (22nd minute) and Sirlord Conteh (43rd) gave the enthusiastic home team a deserved lead, Leonardo Bittencourt (65th) and Mitchell Weiser (84th) still saved Werder with their goals into extra time. After another goalless 30 minutes, the penalty shoot-out had to decide, in which Bittencourt was the only Bremen player to miss. SCP goalkeeper Leopold Zingerle parried his attempt.

Dortmund is in the round of 16 after a flattering 2-0 (1-0) at second division side Hannover 96. An own goal by Bright Arrey-Mbi (11th minute) put BVB on course in front of 49,000 spectators. Jude Bellingham (71st) converted a penalty kick caused to him. Substitute Karim Adeyemi (85th) saw the red card for an emergency brake.

Freiburg just barely missed an embarrassment. The South Baden team won the home game against second division FC St. Pauli 2-1 (1-1, 0-1) after extra time. Lukas Daschner (42nd minute) gave the guests the lead, Matthias Ginter (90th 3) and Michael Gregoritsch (119th) turned the game around.

Second division club Karlsruher SC lost 7:8 (2:2, 2:2, 0:2) on penalties at league rivals SV Sandhausen. Stephan Ambrosius (8th/own goal) and Aleksandr Zhirov (44th) scored the goals for the hosts, Marvin Wanitzek (58th/penalty) and Tim Breithaupt (72nd) equalized for KSC. After goalless extra time, SVS goalkeeper Nikolai Rehnen parried Marcel Franke's attempt on penalties.

On Tuesday, Borussia Mönchengladbach failed as a Bundesliga team higher in the class at second division leaders SV Darmstadt 98.