DFB Pokal wrap: Lakic fires Kaiserslautern

Srdjan Lakic netted a hat-trick in Kaiserslautern’s 4-1 win over Koblenz in their DFB Pokal round-of-16 affair on Wednesday.Thomas Klasen got Koblenz off to a dream start in the cup tie in front of their home fans at Stadion Oberwerth with a goal on 17 minutes, and they maintained their lead to the main break after Lakic failed to convert from the penalty spot in the 37th minute.

But in the space of 11 second-half minutes, Lakic scored thrice around Adam Nemec’s goal to not only wrench the ascendancy from the hosts, but seal the victory.

It was the Croatian striker’s second hat-trick in the German cup this campaign, in addition to his treble against Arminia Bielefeld in Kaiserslautern’s 3-0 win in October.

Kaiserslautern will face MSV Duisburg in their quarter-final clash later this month.

Nuremberg booked their place in the final eight of the DFB Pokal with a 2-0 triumph over Kickers Offenbach.

A Timmy Simons brace was all the visitors needed at Stadion am Bieberer Berg to set up a meeting with Schalke 04 in the next round.