"It was second round of the cup but it felt like more" - Dortmund hero Kobel after match-winning save in shootout

Borussia Dortmund custodian Gregor Kobel exclaimed that their DFB-Pokal Cup game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday didn't feel like just a second-round match.

BVB fought back from an early lead by the Eagles as Julian Brandt made it 1-1 swiftly into the second half before prevailing 4-2 on penalties, as Kobel denied Faris Chaibi.

The Swiss international guessed the right way for Chaibi's decisive spot-kick and pushed it away to send Dortmund through to the third round, the draw for which will be made on 2 November.

After the game, Kobel reflected on a competitive duel between the sides, admitting that it felt more than a second-round clash:

"“It was a tough match. The penalty takers did a fantastic job. When the pressure goes up after 120 minutes, it's not easy to take that shot. All of them [penalties] were really well placed. As such, it was a great evening. It was the second round of the cup, but it felt like more. A game like this is just so much fun.""

Kobel

Ansgar Knauff broke the deadlock for Frankfurt in just the seventh minute through a fabulous layoff from former Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze. Dortmund huffed and puffed but couldn't find an equalizer before the break as Karim Adeyemi and Jobe Bellingham fired their efforts wide.

Despite their territorial dominance and set-piece volume, Niko Kovac's side were unable to carve out clear-cut opportunities, but emerged from the break stronger and made it 1-1 in no time. Brandt converted a pass from Julian Ryerson from close range, and Dortmund were level.

With no further goals between them, the game headed into extra time, where Frankfurt and Dortmund couldn't be separated once more. In the penalty shootouts, Dortmund converted four spot-kicks without missing any. Meanwhile, Ritsu Doan blazed his effort into the stands before Kobel denied Chaibi in the decisive moment to emerge as his team's match-winner.

The 27-year-old further added that the victory is pivotal for the team's morale, as Dortmund earned a hard-fought win.

Kobel has been having a fantastic run in the 2025-26 campaign, keeping six clean sheets in 10 games across the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal Cup. Although he couldn't add to his tally last night, his intervention in the penalty shootout proved vital.

Borussia Dortmund return to action on 31st October against Augsburg in the Bundesliga.