HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund is set to kick off their DFB Pokal journey on Tuesday when they take on the fifth-tier team HEBC Hamburg.

HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund – Match preview and team news

HEBC Hamburg team news

Fifth-tier underdogs HEBC Hamburg enter this historic cup tie in an enviable position regarding player availability.

Head coach Philipp Obloch enjoys the rare luxury of a completely fit squad, reporting zero fresh injury concerns or disciplinary suspensions ahead of kickoff.

The Oberliga minnows are expected to field their strongest possible starting lineup to counter Dortmund’s possession-heavy approach. Obloch will likely deploy a compact, deeply recessed defensive block designed to absorb pressure and frustrate the Bundesliga giants.

Goalkeeper Nils Ahmann is set to start under heavy pressure, shielded directly by a preferred back three of Bastian Stech, Janek Wrede, and Julius Stegemann.

The midfield unit, anchored by Laurel Aug and Semir Demirovic, will focus entirely on disrupting central passing lanes. Upfront, attackers Meraja Magens and Luca Verago look to exploit transition moments, spearheading a historic effort to achieve a monumental cup upset.

Borussia Dortmund team news

Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac plans heavy squad rotation for tonight’s rescheduled DFB-Pokal match at the Volksparkstadion.

Backup goalkeeper Alex Meyer is confirmed to start, giving regular number one Gregor Kobel a rest. This selection marks a special, high-profile homecoming for Meyer, who grew up in the Hamburg area.

However, Dortmund’s squad depth is being tested by significant medical room absentees. Summer signing Giannis Konstantelias is out long-term after suffering a torn ACL during his debut last weekend.

He joins Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck on the sidelines, with the latter still nursing an ankle injury. Defender Ramy Bensebaini remains highly doubtful due to a lingering rib issue.

On a positive note, Samuele Inacio is fully available because his recent domestic red card suspension applies only to Bundesliga fixtures.

Summer arrivals Joey Veerman and Kaua Prates should make their first starts alongside academy prospects Luca Reggiani and Filippo Mane.

Form

HEBC Hamburg

The Oberliga Hamburg minnows have experienced a highly mixed start to their domestic season. They currently find themselves sitting 13th in the fifth-tier standings after securing just six points from their opening five league fixtures. While head coach Philipp Obloch’s side made club history in May by winning the LOTTO Hamburg-Pokal with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Vorwärts-Wacker, their recent home form has stuttered significantly, failing to score a single goal in their last three home league matches.

Borussia Dortmund

The Bundesliga giants enter this cup clash in stable form after kicking off their domestic league campaign with a composed 2-0 victory against Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park last weekend. Goals from Serhou Guirassy and the now-injured Giannis Konstantelias ensured a clean sheet to open the season. This followed a varied pre-season schedule where they suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup but picked up high-profile friendly wins, including beating Arsenal 3-2.

Predicted lineups

HEBC Hamburg: Ahmann; Stech, Wrede, Stegemann; Von Zitzewitz, Aug, Demirovic, Oldag, Eggers; Magens, Verago

Borussia Dortmund: Ostrzinski; Reggiani, Mane, Prates; Kaba, Duarte, Veerman, Beier; Karetsas, Silva, Albert

How to watch HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund?

You can stream the match directly on your web browser or via the DFB Play app on mobile devices.

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