Eintracht Frankfurt rout SC St. Tönis 11-0 in record DFB-Pokal opener
Eintracht Frankfurt set a DFB-Pokal record with a 10-0 first-half lead before sealing an 11-0 first-round victory over fifth-tier SC St. Tönis in Krefeld.
First-half scoring run sets competition record
Eintracht Frankfurt opened their competitive season under returning head coach Adi Hütter with an 11-0 win against fifth-tier Oberliga side SC St. Tönis on Friday evening. Playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,893 spectators at the Grotenburg stadium in Krefeld, the Bundesliga side established a 10-0 advantage before the interval. The ten-goal margin broke the tournament record for the largest half-time lead in DFB-Pokal history. Frankfurt also surpassed their previous club record in the competition, which had stood since a 10-2 victory against Hertha Zehlendorf in 1977. Early corner kicks resulted in headed goals for Jonathan Burkardt and team captain Robin Koch, initiating a sequence that broke down the amateur defense within the opening quarter of an hour.
Individual contributions across the squad
Eight different players registered goals for the Hessen club during the first-round encounter. Burkardt completed a first-half hat-trick, while Can Uzun scored twice within a two-minute span. Additional first-half goals came from Ayoube Amaimouni, Elias Baum, Younes Ebnoutalib, and Mario Götze during stoppage time. After the interval, substitute Farès Chaïbi added the final goal in the 87th minute to complete the scoreline. Frankfurt contested the fixture without Hugo Larsson and Ritsu Doan, who were both sidelined due to muscular problems.
- Jonathan Burkardt
- 3 goals
- Can Uzun
- 2 goals
- Robin Koch
- 1 goals
- Ayoube Amaimouni
- 1 goals
- Elias Baum
- 1 goals
- Younes Ebnoutalib
- 1 goals
- Mario Götze
- 1 goals
- Farès Chaïbi
- 1 goals
Post-match reactions and Bundesliga preparation
Following the final whistle, Frankfurt manager Hütter reflected on the clinical performance of his squad.
That was an absolutely deserved victory - also by this margin. The team did it very sovereignly today.
The match followed a 7-0 pre-season friendly defeat against English Premier League club FC Brentford, which Hütter had cited as a timely warning. Frankfurt midfielder Götze also urged caution despite the wide margin, pointing toward the Bundesliga opening fixture against 1. FC Union Berlin on 29 August.
It is of course something special in this phase to get such a victory. Nonetheless, we naturally know where we come from, where we stand with the team, and that the Bundesliga in this form is also another caliber. But it was an important step.
Teammate Ansgar Knauff shared a similar assessment, noting that the team delivered an effective performance but could not draw sweeping conclusions because of the division gap between the two sides.
Amateur club experience in Krefeld
SC St. Tönis entered the match making their debut in the national cup after reaching the Niederrhein regional cup final, qualifying because tournament winners MSV Duisburg finished fourth in the 3. Liga. The amateur club, which counts 1,700 total members including 900 in its football section, represents a district of Tönisvorst, a town with a population of 30,000. Head coach Bekim Kastrati described his players as a recreational group that trains two to three times per week. St. Tönis produced an opportunity to score in the 57th minute, but Lenni Castrop saw his attempt saved by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kauã Santos. The Oberliga side returns to fifth-tier league fixtures while Frankfurt prepares for their league trip to Berlin.
