Niclas Füllkrug scores on Werder Bremen return in 3-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Lüneburg

Füllkrug marks return with goal against Lüneburg

Niclas Füllkrug marked his return to Werder Bremen with a goal in a 3-0 first-round DFB-Pokal victory against fifth-tier Oberliga Niedersachsen side Lüneburger SK Hansa on Saturday. The 33-year-old striker, who rejoined Bremen on a one-year loan on Tuesday from English club West Ham United following their Premier League relegation, was named directly in the starting lineup by manager Daniel Thioune. Füllkrug, who had previously developed into a German international and Bundesliga top scorer during his earlier tenure at the Weser club before departing three years prior, converted a 53rd-minute penalty to double Bremen's lead. Summer signings Alexander Schlager in goal and former Hamburger SV captain Ludovit Reis also featured in the starting eleven alongside Füllkrug. The victory secures Werder's progression to the second round of the domestic cup ahead of their Bundesliga campaign opener against SC Freiburg on 30 August.

Control and chances at the Millerntor

The fixture was relocated to FC St. Pauli's Millerntor-Stadion in Hamburg, attracting a capacity crowd of 29,330 spectators because Lüneburger SK lacked a suitable home venue for the tie. Lüneburg, fielding four Hamburger SV supporters in their starting lineup, were competing in the DFB-Pokal first round for the fourth time in their 125-year history and suffered elimination at this stage on all four occasions. Bremen seized control from the opening exchanges, with Reis shooting over the target inside the first 30 seconds before midfielder Jens Stage headed Bremen in front in the 11th minute. Füllkrug sent a header over the crossbar in the 13th minute, while the second half experienced a brief delay to repair a hole in the goal net. After Stage earned a spot kick through an individual run in the 53rd minute, Füllkrug scored from the spot and was substituted in the 60th minute for newcomer Cedric Itten. Lüneburg threatened through Nevio Scheuer in the 74th minute, but Reis scored his first goal for Bremen two minutes later in the 76th minute to set the final scoreline.

First-round progression for Elversberg and Augsburg

In other Saturday cup action, Bundesliga newcomers SV Elversberg secured a 3-1 victory against third-division MSV Duisburg in their first competitive fixture as a top-flight side. Luca Schnellbacher opened the scoring for Elversberg in the 38th minute before Lex Tyger Lobinger levelled for Duisburg in the 54th minute, ending Duisburg's first cup campaign in six years. Elversberg attacker Francis Onyeka settled the contest with late goals in the 88th minute and in the first minute of stoppage time. Elsewhere, FC Augsburg advanced with a 2-0 win over second-tier side Energie Cottbus. Cottbus tested the top-tier side through chances from Dominik Pelivan in the 31st minute and Moritz Hannemann in the 36th minute, which Keven Schlotterbeck defended. Anton Kade put Augsburg ahead in the 50th minute, and Kristijan Jakic confirmed the result with a strike in the sixth minute of added time.