DFB Pokal wrap: Kiel giant killers, Hertha put tough week to bed

Mainz were shock casualties in the third round of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, suffering a 2-0 loss to Regionalliga club Holstein Kiel.

An own goal from Nigeria’s Anthony Ujah after six minutes started the ball rolling for fourth-tier outfit Kiel, and Steve Mueller made it 2-0 just after the hour mark as the hosts ensured their passage into the quarter-finals.

In other round of 16 results, Hertha Berlin moved on from Sunday’s sacking of coach Markus Babbel with a 3-1 win over struggling Kaiserslautern. Adrian Ramos, Pierre Lasogga and Patrick Ebert scored the goals for the hosts, who had caretaker coach Rainer Widmayer in charge as they ended a six-match winless run.

A brace from Brazilian-born striker Cacau helped Stuttgart to a 2-1 win over Hamburg at Mercedes-Benz-Arena.

Germany international Cacau gave the hosts the lead after 23 minutes, but an own goal from Danish midfielder William Kvist pulled Hamburg level nine minutes after the interval.

Cacau’s second came just after the hour mark to send Stuttgart into the last eight.

Borussia Moenchengladbach joined them in the quarter-finals, courtesy of a 3-1 win at home over Schalke.

Juan Arango and Marco Reus put Moenchengladbach 2-0 up, until Julian Draxler pulled one back for the visitors – who had striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar dismissed for a second caution two minutes after half-time – with 20 minutes remaining.

Reus’ second goal two minutes from the end made sure of the victory, and Schalke’s American midfielder Jermaine Jones was sent off in stoppage time.