This file lists some remarkable achievements by reserve sides, whether they're labeled "Amateure" (as in Austria and Germany), "B" (as in Czechoslovakia and since several years in Spain) or "2" (as in the Netherlands). Also some "second choice" national teams enjoyed remarkable success.
In the CECAFA Championship for East and Central Africa, host countries were allowed to enter their reserves side since 1992. In 7 tournaments featuring such second sides, the reserves outperformed their seniors on 4 occasions:
year hosts B-team A-team 1992 Tanzania 2nd group 1994 Kenya group 3rd 1995 Uganda 2nd group 1996 Sudan 2nd 3rd 1999 Rwanda winners 3rd 2000 Uganda 2nd 1st 2001 Rwanda 4th 3rdIn the 1996 tournament, Sudan B eliminated Sudan A in the semifinals by 2-1.
In the AFF Women's Championship 2004, hosts Vietnam entered two teams, which both reached the semifinals unbeaten. There they played each other, and Vietnam B beat Vietnam A by 2-0 before losing the final against Myanmar on a penalty shoot-out.
The 2008 Wantok Cup was won by Solympics, the Solomon Islands Olympic team, while the full national side, which entered as Solomon Bonito, finished third and last.
In 1933, Alajuela Junior, the reserve side of Alajuelense, were admitted to the championship, and in each of their first three seasons, they finished ahead of the first team:
Season Alajuela Junior Alajuelense 1933 5th 8th 1934 2nd 3rd 1935 2nd 6thIn 1935, Alajuelense only escaped relegation after a playoff with Buenos Aires. In 1936, Alajuelense finished 6th of 7 teams, only finishing ahead of their reserves Alajuela Junior who were relegated and never returned to the top flight.
In the eastern group (Skupina B) of the second division (II. Liga) of Czechoslovakia in 1957/58 (which consisted of a triple round robin due to the transition to a spring-fall system), the reserves of Spartak Kosice did rather better than their first team:
1.Dynamo Zilina 33 20 5 8 79-35 45 Promoted 2.Spartak Kosice B 33 19 6 8 64-29 44 Promoted ------------------------------------------------------ 3.Dukla Trencin 33 15 8 10 58-37 38 4.Jiskra Gottwaldov 33 15 8 10 49-42 38 5.Slovan Prostejov 33 16 5 12 76-61 37 6.Slovan Nitra 33 14 8 11 58-45 36 7.TJ VZKG 33 15 4 14 74-55 34 8.TJ Topol'cany 33 12 9 12 54-49 33 9.Iskra Odeva Trencin 33 13 6 14 58-53 32 10.Slovan Bratislava B 33 8 13 12 45-62 29 ------------------------------------------------------ 11.Lokomotíva Spisská Nova Ves 33 7 10 16 36-78 24 Relegated 12.Spartak Kosice A 33 0 6 27 19-124 6 Relegated
After the season, the club changed name to Jednota (they are now known as 1.FC Kosice) and of course played with their A-team in the first and their B-team in the third division.
The season before, 1956/57, Slavoj Liberec had two teams playing at the third level: their B-team won group C, which was rather better than the A-team who finished a mediocre 10th (of 12) in group A.
In 1961/62, the A-team of Dukla Tábor were relegated from the second to the third level, but saw their place saved by the B-team, who went in the opposite direction.
The local championship of Plzen 1902 was won by SK Plzen B, ahead of SK Plzen A.
In 1986 the reserve side of K-1933 from Qaqortoq, known as K-1993 (hold 2), finished runners-up in the Greenland championship, behind NÛK, the best ever finish by any team from the club up to that point, improving on the third place finish of K-1933's senior team in the previous season. The first team did not wait long to rectify this situation, winning the Greenland championship in both 1987 and 1988 (and later in 1991, 1998 and 2003).
The Singapore league regularly featured military teams, of which none was more dominant than the Middlesex Regiment in 1909, who finished first, second and third (in the 8-team competition) with their first, second and third sides respectively.
Until 1925 the Swedish championship was decided in a knock-out tournament. In 1897 the reserves of Örgryte IS reached the final for the first time, losing 0-1 to the first team. This was however not much of a feat, as there had been no other entries. In 1901 Örgryte IS 2 again reached the final, and thereby surpassed the first team, but did not show up against AIK who were awarded a walk-over.
The following is a list (undoubtedly incomplete) of reserve sides who would have been entitled to promotion to the first division - but for the fact that the first team already played there.
FC Santa Coloma B, winners of the 2004/05 second level and 2006/07 runners-up, were renamed UE Santa Coloma before the 2007/08 season and under that new identity immediately earned promotion; in their second season (2009/10) in the top flight, they challenged their former senior team for the national title until the last day of the season.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2004/05 FC Santa Coloma B 2010/11 FC Lusitans B reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2006/07 FC Santa Coloma B 2009/10 FC Lusitans B 2012/13 FC Lusitans B 2013/14 UE Santa Coloma B 2014/15 UE Santa Coloma B
In both 1935 and 1936 all reserve sides of the 18 top level clubs played at the second level, together with 16 'proper' second level clubs. In 1935, the first 13 places were occupied by reserve sides, in 1936 the first 11. No clubs were promoted in either season. In 1937 the reserve sides were excluded and the other clubs could earn promotion.
reserve sides that won the second level championship: 1935 Estudiantes (La Plata) II 1936 Boca Juniors II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2004 Pyunik-2 Yerevan 2005 Pyunik-2 Yerevan 2006 Pyunik-2 Yerevan 2007 Pyunik-2 Yerevan
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2005/06 Xäzär-2 Länkäran 2020/21 Neftçi-2 Baki
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1905/06 Union Saint-Gilloise II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2020/21 Scholars International SC B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2023/24 SK Sigma Olomouc B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1964/65 Dukla Praha B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
1985/86 Berliner FC Dynamo II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
1971/72 Berliner FC Dynamo II
1972/73 Berliner FC Dynamo II
Dynamo Dresden II
1975/76 Hallescher FC Chemie II
FC Carl Zeiss Jena II
Notes: reserve teams first joined the second division in the 1967/68
season. In 1972/73 the two teams that 'replaced' BFC Dynamo (Energie
Cottbus) and Dynamo Dresden (Stahl Riesa) reached the two promotion
spots in the five-team playoff group. In 1975/76 the team finishing
second behind HFC Chemie (in Staffel C) were 1.FC Magdeburg II and so
the third-placed team (Vorwärts Dessau) played off (unsuccessfully)
for promotion. After the 1975/76 season the reserve teams were removed
from the second division. They returned in 1984/85 and were removed
again after the 1988/89 season.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2022 Independiente Juniors
Tesfa were relegated at the end of the 2008 season, but were saved due to the promotion of their reserve side Tesfa Junior. reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2008 Tesfa Junior
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2006 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2007 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2008 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2009 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2010 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2013 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2014 FC Flora Tallinn II 2015 FC Flora Tallinn II reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2005 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2007 FC Flora Tallinn II 2010 FC Flora Tallinn II 2012 FC Flora Tallinn II 2014 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2015 FC Levadia Tallinn II 2016 FC Flora Tallinn U-21 2018 FC Flora Tallinn U-21 2019 FC Flora Tallinn U-21 2022 FCI Levadia Tallinn U-21
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
1995 HB II
2017 Víkingur II
2018 NSÍ II
2019 KÍ II
Víkingur II
2022 Víkingur II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
1996 HB II
1997 B36 II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2018/19 Sporting Real
NB: Sporting Real were the reserve side of Real de Banjul but
were not barred from promotion
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2005/06 Dinamo-2 Tbilisi
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1993/94 Glacis United Reserves 1999/00 Glacis United Reserves 2001/02 Saint Joseph's Reserves 2002/03 Manchester United Reserves 2003/04 Newcastle FC Reserves 2004/05 Manchester United Reserves 2005/06 Manchester United Reserves 2006/07 Manchester United Reserves 2010/11 Gib Pilots (reserves of Gibraltar United) Notes: there may have been more cases as not all final tables are known; while 2001/02 saw the top-3 places of the second level occupied by reserve teams, and 2002/03 the top-2, a presumable European record was set in 2004/05 when the top five (of eight!) places of the second division were occupied by reserve teams of top flight clubs, relegating the three 'first' teams in the league to the bottom three places. In 2005/06 and 2006/07, the five reserves sides occupied the top five (of ten) places. However, the world record was set by the second level in Argentina 1935 in which the first 13 places were occupied by reserve sides.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2007/08 Foolad Sepahan Novin (reserve side of Sepahan Isfahan)
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2017 Qayrat A Almati
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2005 MCTPC 2
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2004 FK Ventspils-2
2005 Skonto-2 Riga
2012 Liepajas Metalurgs-2
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
2004 Skonto-2 Riga
2005 FK Ventspils-2
2006 Ditton-2 Daugavpils
2011 Liepajas Metalurgs-2
2022 Riga FC-2
Note: in 2004 also third place went to a reserve side (Liepajas
Metalurgs-2), so the fourth placed team (Zibens/Zemessardze
Ilukste) were automatically promoted while the fifth placed
team (Venta Ventspils) entered the promotion playoff (and
earned promotion!);
in 2006, champions JFK Olimps Riga (promoted directly) were
followed by five reserve teams so that seventh placed
FK Valmiera entered (but lost) the promotion playoff.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2013 Barrack Young Controllers II
2016/17 Barrack Young Controllers II
2019 Barrack Young Controllers II
2020/21 Barrack Young Controllers II
Note: in 2012 BYC II won the Liberian FA Cup, a performance
they repeated in 2015;
in 2020/21 BYC II actually were eligible for promotion, as their senior side had
sold their top level place to Mighty Barrolle in 2019, but instead of going up
they sold their place as well, to Invincible Eleven, joint record champions of
Liberia with Mighty Barolle (both 13 titles).
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2001 Polonija Vilnius [farm team of Zalgiris Vilnius]
2003 Polonija Vilnius [farm team of Zalgiris Vilnius]
2006 Kauno Jegeriai [farm team of FBK Kaunas]
NB: in 2003 third-placed FK Silute were promoted as also the runners-up
(Gelezinis Vilkas Vilnius) were not entitled to promotion.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
2002 Polonija Vilnius [farm team of Zalgiris Vilnius]
NB: in 2002 fourth-placed Sviesa Vilnius entered the playoff (and won
it) as also the third-placed team (Kauno Jegeriai) were not entitled
to promotion (Polonia had finished runners-up);
in 2006 seventh-placed Interas Visaginas entered the playoff (and won)
as third-placed Atlantas-2 Klaipeda and sixth-placed Vetra-2 Vilnius
were not entitled and Kruoja Pakruojis and Rodiklis Kaunas (fourth
and fifth) apparently were not interested; later also second level
runners-up Alytis Alytus decided not to play at the first level 2007,
leaving Interas as only promoted club.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2018/19 Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves 2021 Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves 2022/23 Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2019 Darul Ta'zim FC II
2020 Terengganu FC II
2022 Darul Ta'zim FC II
Terengganu FC II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
1998/99 Zimbru-2 Chisinau
1999/00 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2000/01 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2005/06 Zimbru-2 Chisinau
Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2006/07 Zimbru-2 Chisinau
2007/08 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2011/12 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2014/15 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2021/22 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
1998/99 Sheriff-2 Tiraspol
2002/03 Zimbru-2 Chisinau
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
2017/18 Jong Ajax (Amsterdam)
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
1902/03 Hercules 2 (Utrecht) (champions 2e klasse oost)
1904/05 HFC 2 (Haarlem) (champions 2e klasse west)
1905/06 Velocitas 2 (Breda) (champions 2e klasse oost)
1908/09 Velocitas 2 (Breda) (champions 2e klasse zuid)
1915/16 Velocitas 2 (Breda) (winners 2e klasse A zuid)
1915/16 MVV 2 (Maastricht) (winners 2e klasse B zuid)
1919/20 NAC 2 (Breda) (winners 2e klasse A zuid)
2013/14 Jong PSV (Eindhoven)
2015/16 Jong Ajax (Amsterdam)
2016/17 Jong PSV (Eindhoven)
Jong Ajax (Amsterdam)
2017/18 Jong PSV (Eindhoven)
2018/19 Jong PSV (Eindhoven)
2021/22 Jong Ajax (Amsterdam)
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot: 2013/14 Real Estelí B 2014/15 Real Estelí B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2021 Alianza II
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1910 Nacional B 1920 Cerro Porteño B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2013/14 FC Porto B 2015/16 FC Porto B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot:
1951/52 Mestalla (Valencia) [second team of Valencia]
1952/53 España Industrial (Barcelona) [second team of Barcelona]
1983/84 Castilla (Madrid) [second team of Real Madrid]
Bilbao Athletic [second team of Athletic de Bilbao]
1998/99 Atlético de Madrid B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion playoff spot:
1987/88 Castilla (Madrid) [second team of Real Madrid]
1989/90 Bilbao Athletic [second team of Athletic de Bilbao]
2010/11 Barcelona B
2013/14 Barcelona B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2022 PVV "Beloften"
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1919/20 Nordstern (Basel) II In 1901/02 Grasshopper Club (Zürich) 2 won the second level championship, in 1902/03 FC Zürich 2 won the second level championship, and in 1905/06 Montriond (Lausanne) 2 won the second level championship, but there appears not to have been automatic promotion at the time.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2015/16 AS Tefana B
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1988/89 Bursaspor Amat.
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 1996/97 Dynamo-2 (Kyiv) 1997/98 Dynamo-2 (Kyiv) 1998/99 Dynamo-2 (Kyiv) 1999/00 Dynamo-2 (Kyiv) 2000/01 Dynamo-2 (Kyiv)
reserve sides that finished on a promotion spot: 2009/10 Caracas FC B (in Apertura tournament)
The following is a list (undoubtedly incomplete) of reserve sides who performed remarkably in their domestic cups - some progressing further than or even eliminating their first teams, and others stopped by the first side.
List of abbrevations: ( W) Winners ( F) Finalists (SF) Semifinalists (QF) Quarterfinalists ( 8) 1/8 finalists (last 16) (16) 1/16 finalists (last 32) (32) 1/32 finalists (last 64) (64) 1/64 finalists (last 128) (3R) 3rd round (2R) 2nd round (1R) 1st round
On (at least) one occasion, a reserve side reached the quarterfinals of the domestic cup, only to be eliminated by the first team, who would eventually lose the final 2-4 to Ararat Erevan:
Kotaik-2 Abovyan 1994/95 (QF) [lost 2-4 on aggregate to Kotaik-1]
One amateur side, RB Salzburg Amateure, reached the semifinals of the domestic cup, where they lost to holders Austria Wien, one day after their senior team had lost their semifinal against SV Mattersburg. In 2008/09, two amateur sides reached the quarterfinals, where they played each other, Austria Amateure eliminating Rapid Amateure after a penalty shoot-out. In the semifinal, Austria Amateure lost to second division side Admira and thereby lost the chance to play their first team in the final.
Salzburg Amateure 2006/07 (SF) [Salzburg's 1st team also lost in semifinal]
2011/12 (QF) [lost 1-4 to 1st team]
Austria Wien Amateure 2008/09 (SF) [Austria's 1st team reached the final]
Rapid Wien Amateure 2008/09 (QF) [Rapid's 1st team lost in 1/8 finals]
In 1986, Guangdong placed both its A and its B team in the semifinals of the national cup. Both lost at that stage, and the A team defeated the B team 1-0 in the third place match.
Guangdong B 1986 (SF) [Guangdong A also lost in semifinal]
Six clubs placed their B team in the 1/8 finals of the national cup; Sparta Praha B eliminated Sparta Praha A in 1971, in the semifinal of the Czech cup (which served as quarterfinal for the Czechoslovak cup). The full list:
Baník Ostrava B 1965/66 (QF) [Baník A lost in 1/8 final]
1967/68 (QF) [Baník A lost in 1/8 final]
Sparta Praha B 1967/68 (SF) [Sparta A lost in 1/4 final]
1970/71 (SF) [beat Sparta A 2-1 in 1/4 final!]
Dukla Praha B 1965/66 ( 8) [lost 2-5 to Dukla A]
Slovan Bratislava B 1968/69 ( 8) [Slovan A did not reach 1/8 final]
Slovnaft Bratislava B 1963/64 ( 8) [Slovnaft A also lost in 1/8 final]
Spartak Trnava B 1969/70 ( 8) [lost 0-4 to Spartak A]
See also Slovakia.
In the 1984/85 season, the Dynamo sides from Berlin and Dresden met five times in the cup: the reserves of the capital side elimined the reserves of the Sachsen team in the 1/8 finals (4-3 on aggregate over two legs) before the first side of Dresden exacted revenge on the Berlin reserves one round later, winning a penalty shoot-out 5-3 after both teams had lost 1-2 at home for a 3-3 aggregate; finally, the Dresden team won the cup final 3-2 against Mielke's favourites.
Berliner Dynamo II 1984/85 (QF)
1966/67 ( 8)
1987/88 ( 8) [lost 2-3 to Dynamo I]
Hansa Rostock II 1972/73 (QF)
Dynamo Dresden II 1975/76 ( 8)
1984/85 ( 8) [lost to Berliner Dynamo II]
1985/86 ( 8)
1987/88 ( 8)
Chemie Halle II 1958 ( 8) [started tournament as Wissenschaft Halle]
1985/86 ( 8)
Union Berlin II 1970/71 ( 8)
1985/86 ( 8)
Carl Zeiss Jena II 1970/71 ( 8)
Karl-Marx-Stadt II 1970/71 ( 8)
1.FC Magdeburg 1984/85 ( 8)
Rot-Weiß Erfurt II 1969/70 ( 8)
Vorwärts Stralsund II 1976/77 ( 8)
In 2006/07, JK Tulevik II Viljandi reached the cup semifinals, in which they lost 0-4 to league leaders Trans Narva; Tulevik's first team had already lost in the second round (1/16 finals), 1-6 to TVMK Tallinn. In 2007/08, FC Flora II Tallinn reached the cup semifinals, where they lost 0-3 to JK Maag Tammeka Tartu, a club which itself had placed their reserve side in the quarter-finals and their third team among the last 16 (the third team was eliminated at that stage by Levadia Tallinn, the dominating club of the country, by a highly respectable 1-4 scoreline). Maag Tammeka lost 1-3 to the first side of Flora in the final. In addition, 2 more reserve teams made the 1/8 finals, meaning there were only 11 'first' teams among the last 16 sides remaining in the 2007/08 cup tournament. In both 2014/15 and 2017/18 (then as Flora U21) the reserve side of Flora made the semifinals again, so reserve sides have now made the semifinals on four occasions.
Tallinna FC Flora II 2007/08 (SF)
2014/15 (SF) [Flora I also lost in semifinal]
2011/12 (QF)
2009/10 ( 8)
2012/13 ( 8)
Tallinna FC Flora U21 2017/18 (SF) [lost 3-9 to Flora I]
2016/17 ( 8)
Viljandi JK Tulevik II 2006/07 (SF) [Tulevik I lost in 1/16 final]
1997/98 ( 8)
2007/08 ( 8)
2008/09 ( 8) [Tulevik I also lost in 1/8 final]
Tartu Maag Tammeka II 2007/08 (QF)
Tartu JK Tammeka II 2013/14 (QF) [disbanded before playing quarterfinal]
2010/11 ( 8)
Tartu Maag Tammeka III 2007/08 ( 8)
Tallinna FC Infonet II 2014/15 (QF)
FCI Tallinn U21 2016/17 ( 8)
Kohtla-J. JK U21 Järve 2019/20 (QF)
Nõmme Kalju FC II 2008/09 (QF)
FC Elva II 2008/09 ( 8) [Elva I lost in 1/16 final]
JK Narva Trans II 2007/08 ( 8)
Paide Linnameesk. III 2017/18 ( 8) [Paide I lost in 1/16 final]
Põhja-Tall. JK Volta II 2019/20 ( 8)
Raplamaa JK II 2016/17 ( 8) [Raplamaa I lost in 1/32 final]
Tall. FC Eston Villa II 2019/20 ( 8)
Viimsi JK II 2018/19 ( 8) [Viimsi I lost in 1/16 final]
In 1982, the third side of HB (HB IIIa) reached the semifinals of the cup after eliminating TB in the 1/8 finals (in which HB II lost to HB) and SÍF in the quarterfinals; they lost 4-7 on aggregate against IF, who in turn lost the final 1-2 to HB's first team. Two years before HB III had already reached the quarterfinals, in which they lost 1-7 to their first team.
HB IIIa 1982 (SF) HB III 1980 (QF)
In 2002, HJK's youth (U-20) side reached the cup quarterfinals (in which they lost to Jaro) after beating top level side United Tampere in the 1/8 finals; HJK's first team had lost one round earlier, in the 1/16 finals, to FC Hämeenlinna after a penalty shoot-out.
In 2008, FC Honka 2 reached the last 16, only to meet their first team and lose; another Espoo club, FC Espoo, had managed to place their reserve team in the 6th round (last 32), in which they lost 0-14 to Tampere United - but outperformed FC Espoo 1 by one round.
In 2009, FC Jazz's juniors (juniorit) emulated HJK's feat of 2002 by reaching the quarterfinals (in which they lost to FC Lahti), eliminating top level side VPS in the 1/8 finals; the senior team of the club had been dissolved in 2005 due to financial problems.
HJK U-20 2002 (QF) [HJK lost in 1/16 final] FC Jazz-j 2009 (QF) [no senior side in existence] FC Honka 2 2008 ( 8) [lost 0-4 vs FC Honka 1]
In 2019, second level side Red Hawks, the reserve team of top level club Hawks, reached the cup final. Their senior side had been eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by PSV Wellingara.
Red Hawks 2019 ( F) [lost 0-1 vs Real Banjul]
In 2022, Lokomotivi-2 Tbilisi reached the final, thus vastly outperforming their first side, who were eliminated in the round of 16.
Lokomotivi-2 Tbilisi 2022 ( F) [lost 0-2 vs Torpedo Kutaisi] Dinamo-2 Tbilisi 2021 ( 8) Dinamo-2 Tbilisi 2022 ( 8) WIT Georgia-2 Tbilisi 2018 ( 8)
The first time a reserve ("Amateure") side reached the first round proper of the German cup was in 1966/67, when Hannover 96 achieved that (the 1st round then corresponded to the 1/16 finals). Their feat remained unique until the 1974/75 season, when 3 clubs reached the first round proper - by then, however, that corresponded to the 1/64 finals. Ever since, reserve sides of professional teams have played in the German cup except for the seasons 1986/87 and 1988/89 (when the first round corresponded to the 1/32 finals).
From 1966/67 until now, no fewer than 117 reserve sides have been in the draw for the German cup, usually by winning their regional cup tournament. One of the most astonishing participations must be that of FSV Frankfurt in 1981/82, since not even their first team (also in the cup) was professional, but played at the 3rd level (Oberliga). It's even more remarkable because the "first" team from Frankfurt, Eintracht, has yet to place its reserve side in the cup (they are undoubtedly the "biggest" club never to have done so).
Also Eintracht Kreuznach placed their reserves in the first round (1974/75) although their first team (which reached the second round in the same season) did not play professional. In 2000/01, two clubs (Tennis-Borussia Berlin and Karlsruher SC, both just relegated from the second Bundesliga) did the same; in 2002/03 1.FC Saarbrücken, also fresh from relegation to the third level, managed to do so, and SSV Jahn Regensburg emulated them in 2004/05.
In the 1981/82 season, no fewer than 8 reserve sides made it to the first round (1/64 finals); when in 1982/83 the first round corresponded to the 1/32 finals there were still 6, two playing each other (the only time this has happened so far; the Bayern reserves beat those of Werder 5-3 after extra time). The 2001/02 season set a new record with 8 reserve sides in the 1/32 finals, the first round.
The best performance was that of the Hertha BSC Amateure, who reached the 1992/93 final (while their first team, then in the second division, were eliminated in the 1/8 finals). Apart from that, twice a reserve side reached the quarterfinals, VfB Stuttgart in 1974/75 and FC Bayern München in 1994/95; both outperformed their first team, something that apart from the above three only the reserves of Hamburger SV (1/8 finalists in 1991/92) can claim.
In 2004/05 Bayern München repeated their feat of a decade earlier and placed their reserve side in the quarterfinals. This time, however, the first side also qualified for the final eight.
On three occasions the reserves faced their first team: in 1976/77 FC Bayern München defeated the reserves 5-3 in the fourth round (1/8 finals), in 1997/98 1.FC Kaiserslautern beat their reserves 5-0 in the first round (1/32 finals), and in 2000/01 VfB Stuttgart bested theirs 3-0 in the second round (1/16 finals). After that last occurrence, the DFB decided to prevent such meetings in future cup draws.
SV Werder Bremen placed their reserves in the cup no fewer than 20 times (a record), of which 7 times in succession (1989/90-1995/96); however, they were eliminated in their first tie on 16 occasions, only winning matches in 1987/88 against MTV Ingolstadt (5-1, losing 1-3 in the 1/16 finals against HSV), 1999/00, in which they eliminated Fortuna Köln 3-1 before losing 0-1 to VfB Stuttgart in the 1/16 finals, and in 2001/02, facing 1.FC Saarbrücken in the first round (1/32 finals) and celebrating their best ever cup performance yet, winning 5-0, before losing to Eintracht Frankfurt after a penalty shoot-out. They improved on this best ever run in 2007/08, when they eliminated 1.FC Köln and FC Sankt Pauli before losing 2-3 to VfB Stuttgart in the round of 16, equalling their first team which succumbed at the same stage to Borussia Dortmund.
Since 2005, all reserve teams are denoted by II and the old distinction between "Amat." (for a reserve team of a professional club) and "II" (for a reserve team of a non-professional club) has become obsolete. Below, we leave the historical names of the teams involved. The full overview:
20 times
SV Werder Bremen Amat. 1976/77 (64), 1978/79 (64), 1982/83 (32), 1983/84 (32),
1987/88 (16), 1989/90 (32), 1990/91 (32), 1991/92 (32),
1992/93 (32), 1993/94 (64), 1994/95 (32), 1995/96 (32),
1997/98 (32), 1998/99 (32), 1999/00 (16), 2000/01 (32),
2001/02 (16), 2002/03 (32), 2004/05 (32), 2007/08 ( 8).
10 times
1.FC Köln Amateure 1975/76 (64), 1976/77 (64), 1979/80 (64), 1981/82 (32),
1982/83 (32), 1983/84 (16), 1985/86 (32), 1995/96 (32),
2004/05 (16), 2005/06 (32).
9 times
FC Bayern München Amat. 1974/75 (64), 1976/77 ( 8), 1982/83 (16), 1984/85 (32),
1993/94 ( 8), 1994/95 (QF), 1995/96 (32), 2002/03 (32),
2004/05 (QF).
8 times
Bayer Leverkusen Amat. 1981/82 (64), 1989/90 (32), 1992/93 (64), 1996/97 (32),
1998/99 (32), 2000/01 (32), 2003/04 (32), 2007/08 (32).
7 times
VfB Stuttgart Amateure 1974/75 (QF), 1975/76 (64), 1980/81 (64), 1981/82 (32),
1982/83 (32), 2000/01 (16), 2001/02 (32).
5 times
Hamburger SV Amateure 1974/75 (64), 1981/82 (64), 1991/92 ( 8), 1996/97 (32),
1997/98 (32).
Hannover 96 Amateure 1966/67 (16), 1976/77 (64), 1981/82 (64), 1982/83 (32),
2004/05 (32).
FSV Mainz 05 Amateure 2001/02 (32), 2002/03 (32), 2003/04 (32), 2004/05 (32),
2005/06 (32).
4 times
Karlsruher SC Amat./II 1991/92 (32), 1994/95 (32), 1996/97 ( 8), 2000/01 (32).
VfL Wolfsburg Amateure 2001/02 (16), 2002/03 (32), 2003/04 (16), 2005/06 (32).
1.FC Nürnberg Amateure 1979/80 (64), 1981/82 (64), 1984/85 (16), 1995/96 (32).
3 times
Hertha BSC Amateure 1976/77 (64), 1992/93 ( F), 2004/05 (32).
FC Hansa Rostock Amat. 1998/99 (32), 2005/06 (32), 2006/07 (32).
1.FC Kaiserslautern Am. 1979/80 (32), 1981/82 (32), 1997/98 (32).
twice
VfL Bochum Amateure 1984/85 (16), 2005/06 (32).
Alemannia Aachen Amat. 2002/03 (32), 2006/07 (32).
FC Energie Cottbus Am. 1998/99 (32), 2001/02 (32).
FC Sankt Pauli Amat. 1998/99 (32), 2001/02 (32).
FC Schalke 04 Amateure 1994/95 (32), 2001/02 (32).
Fortuna Düsseldorf Am. 1978/79 (32), 1992/93 (64).
Eintr. Braunschweig Am. 1979/80 (64), 1980/81 (64).
once
FC Augsburg Amateure 1977/78 (16).
Bayer Uerdingen Amat. 1982/83 (32).
Borussia M'gladbach Am. 1997/98 (32).
FC Carl-Zeiss Jena Am. 1993/94 (32).
SC Freiburg Amateure 2001/02 (32).
SSV Jahn Regensburg II 2004/05 (32).
VfB Leipzig Amateure 1996/97 (32).
FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt II 2005/06 (32).
1.FC Saarbrücken II 2002/03 (32).
Tennis-Borussia II 2000/01 (32).
Borussia Dortmund Amat. 1991/92 (64).
Eintracht Kreuznach II 1974/75 (64).
FSV Frankfurt II 1981/82 (64). [played Bezirksliga, 1st team Oberliga]
Schwarz-Weiß Essen Am. 1975/76 (64).
Wuppertaler SV Amateure 1979/80 (64).
By the way - although these sides (and all clubs below the top two levels)
are officially amateur sides, it is quite possible to earn a (comfortable)
living by playing at the third level of the German football pyramid.
FC Schönberg entered the 2003/04 German Cup, but their place had been earned by their reserve side: FC Schönberg II won the regional cup (Landespokal) of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2002/03 and thereby earned the club a place in the 2003/04 national cup tournament. In the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern final, FC Schönberg II won 2-1 against - FC Schönberg...
Paradise Juniors reached the semifinals of the Waggy T Super Knockout in Grenada, after eliminating Mount Horne 3-0 in the quarterfinals; in the previous round, Mount Horne had defeated Paradise International, their senior side, 3-2.
Paradise Juniors 2017 (SF) [Paradise lost in the 1/8 final]
The reserve side of Comunicaciones eliminated their first team on a 4-3 aggregate score in the 1/8 finals of the 2018/19 Copa Centenario and went on to reach the semifinals where they lost to San Pedro.
Comunicaciones II 2018/19 (SF) [beat Comunicaciones I 3-2, 1-1 in 1/8 final]
The following reserve sides reached the final of the Hongkong Challenge Shield.
South China 'B' 1934/35 ( W)
1937/38 ( F) [lost 0-3 to South China 'A' in final]
Royal Navy 'B' 1945/46 ( W) [defeated Royal Navy 'A' 3-1 in 1/4 final]
The following reserve side reached the 1/8 finals of the Hungarian cup.
Fehérvár FC II 2008/09 ( 8) [Fehérvár I also lost in 1/8 final]
In 1968, KR's reserve side beat their own first team 4-3 in the quarterfinals and went on to reach the final (and lose it to ÍBV). By doing that, they gained revenge for a semifinal defeat against their own senior team 4 years earlier. All Icelandic reserve teams or under-23 teams to reach the quarterfinals of the cup:
KR-b 1964 (SF) [lost 1-2 to KR-a]
1965 (QF) [KR-a also lost in 1/4 final]
1968 ( F) [beat KR-a 4-3 in 1/4 final]
ÍA-b 1963 (QF)
1967 (QF)
Fram-b 1961 (QF)
Þor Akureyri U23 1995 (QF) [Þor Akureyri also lost in 1/4 final]
Þrottur-b 1960 (QF) [Þrottur-a lost in 1/16 final]
Valur-b 1969 (QF) [Valur-a also lost in 1/4 final]
In 2005/06, Sepahan B (Isfahan) reached the quarterfinals of the Jaam Hazfi, the Iranian Cup, where they were eliminated by Saba Batry (Tehran); they play at the third domestic level and are the U-23 side of the top flight club Sepahan (Isfahan); the first team eventually won the cup tournament.
Sepahan B (Isfahan) 2005/06 (QF) [Sepahan won cup]
The 1930 Palestine Cup was won by the reserve side of Maccabi Tel-Aviv, defeating Northamptonshire Regiment 2-1 in the final. Their first team had been eliminated in the first round (1/8 finals), forfeiting against the reserve side of Hapoel Haifa, which then itself forfeited in the quarterfinals against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv B 1930 ( W) [beat Northamptonshire Regiment 2-1 in the final]
The reserve side of Kwangaku Club, from Kwansei Gakuin University, whose first team reached and won the Emperor's Cup final on seven occasions, made three appearances in the quarterfinals themselves, losing 1-2 to Chuo University Club in 1957 (their first team would be eliminated by the same team in the semifinals), falling 0-2 to Yawata Steel (who would go on to lose the final 1-2 to Kwangaku's first team) in 1958, and 0-1 to Meiji University in 1960 (when their first team had been eliminated one round earlier). In addition they twice reached the round of 16.
Kwangaku Club [II] 1957 (QF) [Kwangaku Club [I] lost in semifinal] Kwangaku Club [II] 1958 (QF) [Kwangaku Club [I] won cup] Kwangaku Club [II] 1960 (QF) [Kwangaku Club [I] lost in 1/8 final] Kwangaku Club [II] 1959 ( 8) [Kwangaku Club [I] won cup] Kwangaku Club [II] 1961 ( 8) [Kwangaku Club [I] lost in 1/4 final]
In 2010, both the first and second team of Neftchi (Kochkor-Ata) reached the southern semifinal of the Kyrgyz Cup. Once there, the first team proved rather superior in both legs, only to lose the final 0-3 against Dordoy-Dinamo (Naryn). In 2016, Alay (Osh) met their reserve side at the semifinal stage while Abdish-Ata-2 (Kant) also reached the semifinals, outperforming their senior side, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals, a performance they repeated in 2018 (when the first team already lost in the round of 16).
Abdish-Ata-2 (Kant) 2016 (SF) [Abdish-Ata-1 lost in 1/4 final] Abdish-Ata-2 (Kant) 2018 (SF) [Abdish-Ata-1 lost in 1/8 final] Alay-2 (Osh) 2016 (SF) [lost to Alay-1] Alay-2 (Osh) 2018 (QF) [lost to Alay-1] Alay-2 (Osh) 2017 (QF) [lost to Alay-1] Neftchi-2 (Kochkor-Ata) 2010 (SF) [lost to Neftchi-1] Dordoy-2 (Bishkek) 2017 (QF) Dordoy-2 (Bishkek) 2018 (QF) [lost to Dordoy-1] Alga-2 (Bishkek) 2013 (QF) Akademija-Lider-2 (Kant) 2019 (QF) [lost to Akademija-Lider-1]
In 2012, the reserve team of Barrack Young Controllers won the cup, defeating the club which had earlier eliminated BYC's first team. In the next season, BYC II won their second division section, and the second division championship final against NPA Anchors, but being ineligible for promotion to the top flight, Keitrace went up instead. Two years later they again won the national cup.
BYC II 2012 ( W) [beat Watanga FC 1-0 in the final] BYC II 2015 ( W) [beat MC Breweries 0-0 (3-2 pen) in the final]
The following reserve sides reached the semifinals of the cup. Note that between 1963 and 1965, FC Vaduz I were not allowed to enter the cup (because of playing two or more league levels (in the Swiss league structure) above all other clubs); in 1963, two reserve sides of FC Vaduz (the second team and the team of "older players") reached the semifinals. The two reserve sides who came closest to reaching the final were FC Vaduz II in 1988/89 and FC Balzers in 2015/16, both drawing their match after extra time before suffering elimination in a penalty shootout.
FC Vaduz II 1962 (SF) [forfeited semifinal against FC Vaduz I]
FC Vaduz II 1963 (SF) [FC Vaduz I barred from entering]
FC Vaduz II 1965 (SF) [FC Vaduz I barred from entering]
FC Vaduz II 1969/70 (SF) [forfeited semifinal against FC Vaduz I]
FC Vaduz II 1988/89 (SF) [FC Vaduz I also lost in semifinal]
FC Vaduz U-23 2014/15 (SF)
FC Vaduz Seniors 1963 (SF) [FC Vaduz I barred from entering]
USV Eschen/Mauren II 1986/87 (SF) [lost 2-7 to USV Eschen/Mauren I]
USV Eschen/Mauren II 1991/92 (SF) [USV Eschen/Mauren I lost in 1/4 final]
USV Eschen/Mauren II 2002/03 (SF) [USV Eschen/Mauren I also lost in semifinal]
USV Eschen/Mauren II 2006/07 (SF) [USV Eschen/Mauren I also lost in semifinal]
USV Eschen/Mauren II 2009/10 (SF) [lost 2-6 to USV Eschen/Mauren I]
USV Eschen/Mauren III 2017/18 (SF) [USV Eschen/Mauren I also lost in semifinal]
FC Balzers II 2015/16 (SF) [FC Balzers I lost in 1/8 final]
2022/23 (SF) [lost 0-3 to FC Balzers I]
FC Schaan II 2013/14 (SF) [FC Schaan I lost in 1/4 final]
FC Triesen II 1989/90 (SF) [FC Triesen I lost in 1/8 final]
In the 2022 FDH Bank Cup (the main cup tournament), Nyasa Big Bullets defeated their reserve side in the final.
Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves 2022 ( F) [lost 1-3 to Nyasa Big Bullets]
In the 2004 Coupe du Président de la République (the main cup tournament), FC Nouadhibou beat their own reserves at the semi-final stage.
FC Nouadhibou B 2004 (SF) [lost 0-1 to FC Nouadhibou (A)]
In the Netherlands we have to distinguish between the first decade of the 20th century, and the modern era with reserves side from professional teams entering (indeed, there is only a tenuous connection between these cup tournaments).
From 1904/05 until 1909/10 the first teams from clubs from the "Eerste Klasse West" were excluded from the cup competition. Note that while H.F.C. 2 reached the quarterfinal in 1904, H.F.C.'s first team won the cup; also, note that V.O.C. were only a second class side, and the first team reached the semifinal in 1908 - thereby the club from Rotterdam fielded two semifinalists, a Dutch record! The finals of 1907/08 and 1909/10 featured two reserve sides; that of 1909/10 was the third occasion in a row that the Dutch cup was won by a reserve side (and the second win in succession by the reserves of Quick from Den Haag), after which reserve sides were banned from the competition (and the first teams from clubs from the "Eerste Klasse West" allowed back in). The following reserve sides played in the cup 1901-1910 and reached at least the quarterfinals:
H.B.S. 2 1904/05 ( F)
1906/07 (SF)
1907/08 ( W)
Quick (Den Haag) 2 1908/09 ( W)
1909/10 ( W)
H.V.V. 2 1906/07 (SF)
1909/10 ( F)
V.O.C. 2 1907/08 ( F)
1908/09 (QF) [lost 0-7 to V.O.C. 1]
Haarlem 2 1906/07 (QF)
1909/10 (QF)
H.F.C. 2 1903/04 (QF)
1904/05 (QF)
Sparta 2 1906/07 (QF)
In addition, the following reserve sides outperformed their first team:
Prinses Wilhelmina 2 1905/06 (3R) [Prinses Wilhelmina 1 lost in 2nd round] Quick (Nijmegen) 2 1907/08 (3R) [Quick (Nijmegen) 1 lost in 1st round]
Since the mid-eighties, reserve sides from professional clubs have reached the main rounds of the Dutch cup with some regularity. Note that these second sides are not amateur, as (nominally) in Germany, but part of the professional section of the Dutch FA, playing in a separate competition for reserve sides. Since 2005, they are competing as 'Jong' sides (youth teams) but their composition is as before. Currently, reserve sides can either qualify for the Dutch cup by winning this competition for reserve sides or winning the cup competition for reserve sides (before, they could qualify by winning one of the regional "district cups" in which they competed with amateur sides).
All 39 occasions reserve sides reached the first round proper of the cup:
10 times
Ajax 2/Jong Ajax 1987/88 (QF) [Ajax 1 had lost in the 1/16 final]
1994/95 (QF) [Ajax 1 also lost in the 1/4 final]
1995/96 (1R) [1/32 finals]
1996/97 (1R) [1/32 finals]
2001/02 (SF) [Ajax 1 won final]
2002/03 (4R) [1/8 finals]
2003/04 (4R) [1/8 finals]
2004/05 (1R) [1/64 finals]
2005/06 (4R) [1/8 finals]
2009/10 (2R) [1/32 finals]
5 times
PSV 2/Jong PSV 1997/98 (2R) [1/16 finals]
2000/01 (3R) [1/16 finals]
2001/02 (2R) [1/32 finals]
2005/06 (1R) [1/64 finals]
2008/09 (2R) [1/32 finals] [lost to PSV]
4 times
Sparta 2 1986/87 (2R) [1/16 finals]
1995/96 (2R) [1/16 finals]
1996/97 (1R) [1/32 finals]
1998/99 (1R) [1/32 finals]
Vitesse 2 1990/91 (1R) [1/32 finals]
1993/94 (2R) [1/32 finals]
1998/99 (1R) [1/32 finals]
2002/03 (2R) [1/32 finals]
twice
SC Heerenveen 2/ 2003/04 (1R) [1/64 finals]
Jong Heerenveen 2007/08 (4R) [1/8 finals]
De Graafschap 2/ 1999/00 (1R) [1/64 finals]
Jong De Graafschap 2009/10 (4R) [1/8 finals]
FC Utrecht 2 1997/98 (1R) [1/32 finals]
2000/01 (2R) [1/32 finals]
once
Jong AZ 2006/07 (4R) [1/8 finals]
Feyenoord 2 2004/05 (3R) [1/16 finals]
Haarlem 2 1997/98 (1R) [1/32 finals]
Quick Boys 2 2008/09 (2R) [1/32 finals]
RBC 2 1994/95 (1R) [1/32 finals]
Jong RKC Waalwijk 2006/07 (2R) [1/32 finals]
Jg. Stormvogels/Telstar 2007/08 (2R) [1/32 finals]
Jong FC Twente 2008/09 (2R) [1/32 finals]
ADO Den Haag 2 1999/00 (1R) [1/64 finals]
Hollandia 2 2008/09 (1R) [1/64 finals]
In addition, SC Heerenveen 2 lost in preliminary rounds in both 1995/96 and
1996/97, while Fortuna Sittard 2 lost in a preliminary round 1995/96.
In their 1987/88 run, Ajax 2 had eliminated three top division sides in succession (1st round 2-1 against Sparta, 2nd round 3-1 against FC Groningen, 3rd round 3-2 away at Volendam), while the 1st team had lost 0-1 at FC Den Bosch in the 2nd round. The club then decided to field the first team for the quarterfinal away at second level leaders RKC, which may have been a mistake: the first team undid all the work by the reserves by losing 1-2.
In 2001/02, Ajax 2 eliminated two top division sides (De Graafschap and FC Twente) as well as three second level clubs (Volendam, Haarlem and Stormvogels/Telstar, all from the same province as Ajax (Noord-Holland)) before they were defeated in the semifinals by FC Utrecht after a penalty shoot-out; as Ajax also reached the semifinals (and indeed won the Cup in sudden death extra time after a late off-side equaliser in regulation time), Ajax equalised V.O.C.'s 1908 record of fielding two semifinalists.
The first cup final of the (Turkish Republic of) Northern Cyprus was won by the reserve side of Çetinkaya.
Çetinkaya B 1955/56 ( W)
Before the split of the island, one reserve side reached the quarterfinal of the IFA Cup, outperforming their senior side:
Glentoran II 1917/18 (QF) [Glentoran lost in an earlier round]
In the regional County Antrim Cup, reserve sides reached six finals, winning two; Linfield beat their own reserves in the 1898/99 final, needing a replay to do so. Belfast Celtic II succumbed to their own first team in the 1935/36 final.
Linfield Swifts 1898/99 ( F) [lost 1-1, 0-4 to Linfield]
1948/49 ( W)
Glentoran II 1908/09 ( W)
Belfast Celtic II 1934/35 ( F)
1935/36 ( F) [lost 0-1 to Belfast Celtic]
Bangor II 1945/46 ( F)
The following reserve sides reached the 1/8 finals of the Polish cup.
CWKS II Warszawa 1951/52 ( 8) Ogniwo II Kraków 1953/54 ( 8) [Ogniwo I lost in the 1/32 final] Szombierki II Bytom 1965/66 (SF) [Szombierki I lost in the 1/4 final] Lech II Poznan 1967/68 (SF) [Lech I lost in Poznan regional stage] Odra II Opole 1967/68 ( 8) [Odra I also lost in the 1/8 final] ROW II Rybnik 1974/75 ( F) [ROW I lost in the 1/8 final] Górnik II Zabrze 1978/79 (QF) [Górnik I lost in the 1/32 final] Ruch II Chorzów 1992/93 ( F) [Ruch I lost in the 1/8 final] Bytovia II Bytów 2009/10 ( 8) [Bytovia I did not enter national stage] Legia II Warszawa 2019/20 ( 8)
Ruch II Chorzów are the lowest level club ever to reach a domestic cup final. The reserves of Ruch Chorzów played at the fifth or sixth level in the Polish league structure when losing the 1992/93 final on penalties. Their road into that final:
Regional competition (1991/92) 4 Sep 1991 home v Wawel Wirek 3-0 8 Oct 1991 away v Siemianowiczanka 3-0 1 Apr 1992 away v GKS II Katowice 4-3 14 Apr 1992 home v MK Katowice 4-1 District competition (1991/92) 19 May 1992 away v Odra II Wodzislaw 0-4 26 May 1992 home v Rozbark Bytom 2-1 9 Jun 1992 v GKS Tychy 2-1 (in Siemianowice) Central competition (1992/93) First Round 1 Aug 1992 home v BKS Stal Bielsko-Biala 1-0 Second Round (2nd level start) 12 Aug 1992 home v Polonia Bytom 2-1 Third Round 26 Aug 1992 home v Rakow Czestochowa 1-1 (aet, 4-2 pen) 1/16 finals (1st level start) 21 Oct 1992 home v Olimpia Poznan 1-0 1/8 finals 11 Nov 1992 home v Miedz Legnica 2-1 (aet) 1/4 finals (2 legs) 10 Mar 1993 home v Stomil/Wisloka Debica 1-0 24 Mar 1993 away v Stomil/Wisloka Debica 2-0 1/2 finals (2 legs) 7 Apr 1993 away v Slask Wroclaw 1-1 23 Apr 1993 home v Slask Wroclaw 4-1 Final 23 Jun 1993 v GKS Katowice 1-1 (aet, 4-5 pen) [in Chorzów (Stadion Slaski, not Ruch stadium)] [Thanks to Pawel Mogielnicki for the above information.]
In 2010/11, Saint Peters Juniors reached the quarterfinals of the SKNFA Cup, where they lost 0-5 to Saint Pauls, who had eliminated their senior team (by 1-0) in the previous round.
St.Peters Jrs. 2010/11 (QF) [St. Peters lost in 1/8 final]
The main cup tournament of Singapore, the Singapore Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup, was dominated by British military sides until World War II. These often entered two teams, and until World War I, such a reserve side reached the final on three occasions, always meeting the first team of the same military unit. As the 1894 final went to six replays, in total nine cup final matches between two teams from the same regiment were played, with the reserves losing on only one occasion (the 1910 final). Later, the reserve side of S.C.F.A., the Singapore Chinese Football Association, reached the final twice, once playing their own first team there.
10th Lincolnshire Rgt. II 1894 ( F) [drew 10th Lincolnshire Regiment I 7 times!]
[after 7 draws, the 11 medals were distributed by drawing names from a
hat; 3 players from the first and 8 from the second side got medals]
Royal West Kent Rgt. (B) 1907 ( W) [beat Royal West Kent Regiment (A) 2-0]
3rd Battl. Middlesex R. II 1910 ( F) [lost 0-2 to 3rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment I]
Singapore Chinese F.A. II 1937 ( F) [lost 2-2, 1-3 to Singapore Chinese F.A. I]
1947 ( F)
Two clubs placed their B team in the 1/8 finals of the national cup; one of those reached the semifinals, where they were eliminated after a penalty shoot-out. Slovan Bratislava B eliminated their first team in the second round (1/16 finals) in 2006/07.
MFK Ruzomberok B 2006/07 (SF) [Ruzomberok A lost in 1/16 final] Slovan Bratislava B 2006/07 ( 8) [beat Slovan A 2-0 in 1/16 final!] See also Czechoslovakia.
Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla CF reached the quarterfinals of the Spanish cup no fewer than four times in the eighties; on the first occasion they even progressed to the final, losing to the big brothers, who thereby completed the double, leaving the Cup Winners' Cup place for the reserve side.
Castilla's feats:
1979/80 F (lost 1-6 against Real Madrid) [during their campaign, Castilla beat 4 first division teams, namely: 4th round: Herculés (Alicante) 5-4 on aggregate; 1/8 final: Athletic de Bilbao 2-1 on aggregate; 1/4 final: Real Sociedad (San Sebastián) 3-2 on aggregate; 1/2 final: Sporting de Gijón 4-3 on aggregate; note that Sociedad finished second and Sporting third behind Real Madrid in the final league table 1979/80] 1983/84 QF (lost 2-3 on aggregate against Las Palmas) 1985/86 QF (lost 2-8 on aggregate against Real Zaragoza) 1987/88 QF (lost 1-3 on aggregate against Atlético Osasuna (Pamplona)) In each of the seasons that Castilla lost in the quarterfinals, Real Madrid lost exactly one round later, in the semis. Until 1972/73, Castilla CF had been known as AD Plus Ultra, under which name they also once reached the quarterfinals of the Spanish cup: 1958/59 QF (lost 2-7 on aggregate against Granada) Also in this season, the A-side were apparently so disappointed about the loss of the reserves in the quarters that they lost in the semifinals themselves.
AS Tefana B 2013/14 (QF) [lost 0-6 to AS Tefana A]
The 1932 FA Trophy was won be the reserve side of champions Everton.
In the 2005 FA Trophy (the main cup tournament), Defence Force (whose first team played at the top level Professional League) beat their own reserves (playing in the third level Northern FA League) at the semifinal stage.
In the 2009 FA Trophy, the third side of Joe Public (playing in the third tier Eastern FA League reached the quarterfinals, surpassing the second side (playing in the second tier Super League) by one round; however, in the quarterfinals they faced their own first team, already crowned national champions earlier in the season (they went on to win the FA Trophy as well), and were soundly trashed 0-6. One year later, Joe Public's second side reached the quarterfinals, surpassing their own first side (and the cup holders) by one round.
Everton 2 1932 ( W) Defence Force (NFA) 2005 (SF) [lost 0-2 to Defence Force (PL)] Joe Public (EFA) 2009 (QF) [lost 0-6 to Joe Public (PL)] Joe Public (Super L.) 2010 (QF) [Joe Public (PL) lost in 1/8 final]
Paxtakor-2 Toshkent 2015 (QF)
Partizan once placed their reserve side in the semifinals of the cup, after they had eliminated both FK Sarajevo and Hajduk Split (and the senior team had fallen to Nasa krila Zemun). Two other clubs twice saw their reserves reach the last 16.
Partizan Beograd II 1947 (SF) [Partizan I lost in the 1/4 final] BSK Beograd II 1951 ( 8) [BSK I lost in the 1/32 final] BSK Beograd II 1953 ( 8) [BSK I won the cup] Vardar Skopje II 1953 ( 8) [Vardar I lost at earlier stage] Vardar Skopje II 1975/76 ( 8) [Vardar I lost in the 1/16 final]
In the 2018 Barclays Cup, Green Buffaloes were eliminated by their own reserve side at the semifinal stage. The juniors went on to lose the final 0-3 against Nkana.
Young Buffaloes 2018 ( F) [defeated Green Buffaloes in semifinal]
Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 4 Jun 2024
(C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 1999/2024
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.