Arminia Bielefeld will face MSV Duisburg at home in the DFB-Pokal (31st October, 20:45 CET), one of two all-second-division clashes in the second round. The two teams have met 40 times in various leagues, as well as three times in the DFB-Pokal. MSV defeated Arminia 3-1 in the second round back in September 1978, while they also defeated them after a replay in 1971 (1-1 & 3-1), again in the second round.
The record at Bielefeld is completely equal – both teams have won seven games and there have been seven draws. Once again, there is no clear favourite for the game. Bielefeld may be sitting higher than Duisburg in the second division table, but the visitors are on a high since appointing Thorsten Lieberknecht as their new head coach at the start of October. “We are expecting a good game with Duisburg and hope to reach the last 16 with the support of our fans,” said Arminia chief executive Samir Arabi.
Both teams defeated fifth-division sides in this year’s first round. MSV just about overcame TuS Dassendorf 1-0, while Arminia were comfortable in their 5-0 triumph over Lok Stendal. Bielefeld’s best recent runs were when they made the semi-finals in 2014/15 and the quarter-finals the following season. Duisburg surprisingly reached the final of the competition in the 2010/11season, but were comprehensively beaten by Schalke 5-0 and haven’t reached the last 16 since then.
[mmc/dr]
Arminia Bielefeld will face MSV Duisburg at home in the DFB-Pokal (31st October, 20:45 CET), one of two all-second-division clashes in the second round. The two teams have met 40 times in various leagues, as well as three times in the DFB-Pokal. MSV defeated Arminia 3-1 in the second round back in September 1978, while they also defeated them after a replay in 1971 (1-1 & 3-1), again in the second round.
The record at Bielefeld is completely equal – both teams have won seven games and there have been seven draws. Once again, there is no clear favourite for the game. Bielefeld may be sitting higher than Duisburg in the second division table, but the visitors are on a high since appointing Thorsten Lieberknecht as their new head coach at the start of October. “We are expecting a good game with Duisburg and hope to reach the last 16 with the support of our fans,” said Arminia chief executive Samir Arabi.
Both teams defeated fifth-division sides in this year’s first round. MSV just about overcame TuS Dassendorf 1-0, while Arminia were comfortable in their 5-0 triumph over Lok Stendal. Bielefeld’s best recent runs were when they made the semi-finals in 2014/15 and the quarter-finals the following season. Duisburg surprisingly reached the final of the competition in the 2010/11season, but were comprehensively beaten by Schalke 5-0 and haven’t reached the last 16 since then.
