DFB-Pokal: Hannover seal record victory with 9-1 rout of Hemelingen at Weserstadion

Hannover have only scored once from their first 41 2. Bundesliga attempts, but they found the net five times inside twenty minutes against Hemelingen at Weserstadion in Bremen. The newly-appointed captain Stefan Teitur Thordarson led by example with a well-placed header from Waniss Taïbi’s cross in the fifth minute.

Lars Gindorf, who was 3. Liga’s top-scorer last term on loan at Alemannia Aachen, doubled their advantage after a well-worked move. Marcel Hartel joined the fun with a spectacular finish as he scored his first goal back in German football.

Thordarson added his second before Benedikt Pichler scored Hannover’s fifth thanks to Kolja Nuno Oudenne’s unselfish play. A couple of minutes later, Florent Berisha denied Taïbi and Pichler another direct goal involvement with a superb goalline clearance.

There were more chances for Hannover before Gindorf scored his second by rounding the hapless goalkeeper Marcel Pfaar. The Oberliga side survived by the woodwork four times in a remarkable first-half performance by Christian Titz’s men.

The script was the same after the restart, although Hannover could only add three goals from several clear-cut chances. Gindorf ended the game with a hat-trick, although he still missed numerous opportunities.

Pichler also scored his second of the game before 19-year-old Taycan Etcibasi got the last goal in injury-time. However, the biggest cheer of the game came when Ledjon Fikaj scored with a powerful header for Hemelingen ten minutes into the second-half.

Hannover recorded their biggest win in the competition, while the Albanian youth international at least made it slightly better for Hemelingen compared to last season’s 9-0 defeat to Wolfsburg.