 Regionalliga Süd club SV Sandhausen, having fallen behind twice in its game against VfB Stuttgart, nevertheless was able to force a draw after extra time, followed by a lengthy penalty shoot out, which Sandhausen eventually won 15–14.The Regionalliga club Energie Cottbus in 1996–97 became the second third division side to reach the cup final, when it knocked out Bundesliga teams MSV Duisburg, FC St. Pauli and Karlsruher SC to lose 2–0 to VfB Stuttgart in the final.In 1997–98, Eintracht Trier of the tier three Regionalliga West/Südwest wrote German Cup history when the club knocked both Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund out of the cup in the space of six weeks.