HEBC Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund 1 September 2026 Prediction

Borussia Dortmund will be among the final teams to begin their 2026-27 DFB-Pokal campaign. They face tournament debutant Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 in the round of 64. The fifth-tier hosts have never played a knockout match at this level. Can they trouble Bundesliga opposition?

Fifth-Tier Club Struggles to Score at Home

Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 plays in Germany’s fifth tier and has never competed as high as the fourth division. The club did not contend for promotion in 2025-26 and finished the season with five straight losses. The managerial staff remained in place, but several players departed. The most significant exits were holding midfielder Hendrik Dieckmann, who made 30 appearances in 2025-26, and striker Michele Scalze, who recorded 11 goals and one assist in 37 matches. The club relied on internal options to cover those losses and added new players in other areas.

Nineteen-year-old Magnus Nagel moved into central defense, while experienced Philipp Onnen took over at left wing-back. Neither addition has improved the back line so far. Both arrived from lower levels and are still adjusting to their new teammates. That has contributed to three defeats in the opening rounds of the fifth-tier season. All of the team’s wins have come away from home. Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 failed to score in home losses to Niendorfer (0-3), HT 16 (0-1), and Vorwärts-Wacker (0-1), which finished near them in last season’s standings. This will be the club’s first appearance in the DFB-Pokal.

Borussia Dortmund Gives Young Players Early Opportunities

With Bayern still the leading team in Germany, Borussia Dortmund reshaped its squad over the summer and focused on younger players with development and resale potential. Karim Adeyemi, who had 10 goals and six assists in 39 matches last season, departed alongside Julian Brandt (11 goals and four assists in 41 appearances), Yan Couto (three goals and three assists in 27 matches), and Niklas Süle, who had lost his place in the starting lineup. Dortmund spent more than €100 million on replacements, signing defender Joane Gadou from Salzburg, Greek attacking prospects Giannis Konstantelias and Konstantinos Karetsas, and Joey Veerman from PSV. Manager Niko Kovač gave all of the new arrivals substantial minutes in preseason, including starts.

Dortmund showed its attacking potential in preseason against Arsenal (3-2) and Roma (2-2), then scored in a 2-1 German Super Cup loss to Bayern. Those matches also exposed defensive issues. Gadou is still adjusting to the back three, while Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can remain sidelined with injuries. Even with those absences, Dortmund can keep clean sheets against less dangerous opponents, as shown in the 2-0 Bundesliga win over Hamburg. Konstantelias was injured in that match and is doubtful for this cup tie. Dortmund has advanced from the first round in each of the past five DFB-Pokal campaigns, with four of those wins coming by wide margins.

Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 vs Borussia Dortmund Predicted Lineup

Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 (4-2-3-1): Ahmann; Zitzewitz, Nagel, Wrede, Onnen; Demirovic, Oldag; Lemke, Wilhelm, Kehler; Adeh

Unavailable: None

Manager: Philipp Obloch

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-3): Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Svensson; Mané, Bellingham, Veerman, Prates; Karetsas, Guirassy, Sabitzer

Unavailable/Doubtful: Kaba, Can, Schlotterbeck (injured); Inacio (suspended); Konstantelias (doubtful)

Manager: Niko Kovač

Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction: Borussia Dortmund Handicap -5.5

Main Prediction: Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 has never played in the DFB-Pokal or reached Germany’s fourth tier. The club changed half of its defense over the summer and has failed to keep a clean sheet in four of its first five matches this season. It also went scoreless in three home games against teams of a similar standard. Dortmund has a strong record against lower-division opponents. Recent first-round wins include 3-0 against 1860 Munich and 4-1 against Phönix Lübeck, both of which play at a higher level than Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911. Dortmund’s young players are competing for regular minutes, so the intensity should remain high. The Bundesliga side also beat fifth-tier Schott Mainz 6-1 several seasons ago. A larger winning margin is possible here, making Borussia Dortmund -5.5 the main selection.

Goals Prediction: Dortmund’s defensive problems have mainly appeared against stronger opponents. The 2-0 win over Hamburg showed that the team can defend effectively in more favorable matchups. Dortmund is short-handed at the back, so regular starters are likely to feature. The system also becomes a five-man defensive line when the wide midfielders drop deeper. Since Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 has not scored in any of its first three home league matches, the secondary selection is Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel 1911 team total under 0.5 goals.