DFB-Pokal: Stingy Kaiserslautern eliminate Hannover as Prtajin scores on his return

Kaiserslautern knocked out Hannover to book their place in the Round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal. Despite being dominated for the most part of the game, the visitors soak up the pressure to do the damage with two excellent strikes.

The hosts had the first sight of goal as the captain for the day Marcel Hartel hurried his attempt in the second minute. Kaiserslautern quickly found their way in the game, and they took the lead with Milos Lukovic's first-time effort from a chance that started with Julian Krahl's punt from a free-kick in their own half.

Kaiserslautern's goalkeeper has only conceded in two of his first nine 2. Bundesliga games this season, and he showed his prowess once again with decent saves to deny Hartel and Benjamin Källman moments after Hannover's penalty-kick annulled with a VAR check.

Kaiserslautern's captain Marlon Ritter signaled the goalkeeper Krahl might need to come off when he needed treatment before all those actions, but it turned out he was the one who made way because he luckily escaped a second booking inside the first half-hour.

Hannover continued to knock Krahl's door, but Kaiserslautern managed to keep their ninth clean sheet of the season. At the other end, Ivan Prtajin scored in his first competitive game back from an ACL injury with a brilliant header five minutes from time.

The 30-year-old Croat striker celebrated his goal by taking off both his shirt and undershirt with pure emotion..Torsten Lieberknecht's side continued their resilient start to the season, while Sandro Wagner has now lost three of his first four games in charge of out-of-sorts Hannover.

Kaiserslautern will face league leaders Hertha BSC in matchday 10 of 2. Bundesliga, while Hannover will be at home against Dynamo Dresden, who knocked out Schalke earlier from the DFB-Pokal.