"The difficult game we expected"

Bundesliga sides generally have everything to lose in the first round of the DFB Cup, so it was no surprise that VfL had to be patient in the game at SV 07 Elversberg, just as coach Bruno Labbadia had predicted. The Green-Whites were frustrated for long periods as they searched for gaps in the fourth-tier side’s defence, yet they were comfortable themselves at the back, meaning it was only a matter of time before their pressure paid off. After the final whistle, Labbadia was pleased his charges had ultimately been clinical enough to win the tie without requiring extra-time. Here’s what the two coaches had to say:

Bruno Labbadia: "It’s always tough to play against teams who sit so deep, especially when they’re as disciplined as Elversberg were today. In the first half we just couldn’t unlock them, and we didn’t make the right decisions with the few chances we did get. Then we picked up the pace and created clearer chances but had nothing to show from this good spell. That made it even more important to score the winning goal in good time. Overall it was the difficult game we expected. We wanted to get through to the next round and we’ve done that, so in that respect we’re very happy with the result."

Roland Seitz: "You know what you’re going to get in these kinds of games – I’ve been involved in many of them, as have some of our players. You have to keep it 0-0 for a long time and defend very well. At some point you’ll get a chance or two. We didn’t do much wrong and our game plan worked. We had less possession for 70 minutes but if we’d scored before them, which could’ve happened, then that would’ve made it tough for Wolfsburg. It’s frustrating that we didn’t manage that but nevertheless I have to give my team huge credit for their performance."