2011-2012 DFB Pokal Second Round Preview: Can Dynamo Dresden Pull Another Upset Against Dortmund?

The DFB Pokal resumes this week with a total of sixteen second round matches on Tuesday and Wednesday. After an exciting first round that saw Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen, Freiburg, Werder Bremen, and Wolfsburg defeated by lower division sides. Leverkusen in particular crashed out in spectacular fashion conceding a three goal goal lead and losing 4-3 to 2.Bundesliga side Dynamo Dresden.

Thursday, October 25

RB Leipzig vs. FC Augsburg

This is one to keep an eye on for an upset. With Leipzig hosting their second Bundesliga side in the competition at home, the home supporters will be in full voice (over 23,000 tickets have been sold) to see their second upset in the competition. Augsburg have been playing better recently, and it all starts with goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch. The veteran has been sensational as of late, especially this past weekend against Werder Bremen.

SpVgg Unterhaching vs. VfL Bochum

1. FC Heidenheim 1846 vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. 1860 Munich

Eintracht Trier vs. Hamburger SV

Expect Hamburg manager Thorsten Fink to make a few changes to his squad, but he'll likely use close to a regular lineup. Hamburg will likely stay up, but Fink needs to figure out what his best starting eleven is before we get too close to the Winter Break.

Borussia Dortmund vs. Dynamo Dresden

Dresden pulled off the miracle comeback in round one against Bayer Leverkusen. Are they going to have the same luck against Borussia Dortmund? Chances are... no. While they've been struggling to find the results in Europe, they sure have been looking good domestically. They've won their last four league matches and outscored their opponents 13-1. I know I wouldn't want to be drawn against them this week.

Greuther Fürth vs. SC Paderborn

1899 Hoffenheim vs. 1. FC Köln

This is our first match of the tournament with two Bundesliga sides facing off against each other. They faced each other at the end of September in a match that Köln won 2-0. Will history repeat itself?

Wednesday, October 26

Holstein Kiel vs. MSV Duisburg

Kiel is sitting atop the Regionalliga (fourth division) and could spring the upset on last year's finalists.

Rot-Weiss Essen vs. Hertha BSC Berlin

Hannover 96 vs. Mainz 05

Hannover is coming off of their massive victory on the weekend against Bayern Munich, while Mainz has been struggling tremendously as of late. A victory in the cup might be a good thing to build some confidence in the Mainz squad, but do they needed the added burden of a potential cup run in their battle for first division survival?

Karlsruher SC vs. Schalke 04

The holders should make easy work of the struggling 2.Bundesliga side. 

FC Erzgebirge Aue vs. 1. FC Nürnberg

Bayern Munich vs. Ingolstadt 04

Jupp Heynckes should make some changes to his squad for this match against 2.Bundesliga bottom feeder Ingolstadt. Philipp Lahm and Mario Gomez deserve rest with Diego Contento and Ivica Olic starting in place of them. Bastian Schweinsteiger has also come down with a cold and will likely not feature. Ingolstadt hasn't won an away match all season, 

VfB Stuttgart vs. FSV Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern