Werkself through to second round after 8-0 win against Ottensen

In front of 11,035 spectators at the Millerntor Stadium in Hamburg, including 2,500 optimistic fans in Black and Red, head coach Xabi Alonso started with four new signings in the line-up in Alejandro Grimaldo, Granit Xhaka, Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface. Odilon Kossounou was preferred to Jonathan Tah in central defence. The Werkself in the new cyan blue third kit and playing a 4-2-3-1 formation were on the front foot from the kick-off. With the game played patiently in the opposition half the lead came from a set piece: A corner from Hofmann and a header from Xhaka ended with a mix-up between Ottensen's keeper Liesegang and defender Coffie as they attempted to clear. Edmond Tapsoba was in the right place to head home from short range to make it 1-0 (16').

brace just before half-time

Referee Bauer missed a handball in the penalty area by Ottensen denying Exequiel Palacios and there was no penalty with VAR not used in the first round of the DFB Cup. (24'). Bayer 04 were on top but the underdogs stuck to their task and gave the Werkself few opportunities from open play. However, Leverkusen made a lot out of a little: After an attack down the left flank, Florian Wirtz set up Grimaldo to cross and Boniface turned the ball into the net to make it 2-0 (42’). Shortly before half-time, skipper Lukas Hradecky pulled off an impressive save to deny Schwede the opportunity to pull a goal back. The Werkself then again demonstrated impressive efficiency: Wirtz provided the assist for Amine Adli to put the Werkself 3-0 up (45+1').

Adli and Frimpong extend lead

Jeremie Frimpong with a header from a whipped-in Grimaldo cross (52’) that Liesegang saved plus Adli with a left-foot effort that flew just wide of the target (53'), both had the fourth goal in their sights after the restart. Adli quickly made up for the miss: The Frenchman stepped up to convert a penalty for a foul on himself with a shot into the roof of the net to make it 4-0 (59'). That was followed by a double substitution for the Werkself: Tah and Robert Andrich came on for Tapsoba and Xhaka (62'). And Leverkusen then further extended the lead: Frimpong netted the fifth with an assist from Adli (67’). Adam Hlozek then came on for Wirtz (69') and Arthur replaced Frimpong (70').

Hlozek slotted straight in and made it six with a shot from 20 yards out into the near post (75’). Noah Mbamba was given a run-out coming on for Boniface (76'). The Leverkusen exhibition prtformance rolled on with Jonas Hofmann rounding Liesegang to make it 7-0 with an assist from Hlozek (81'), an Andrich strike with his shoulder was ruled out by the referee (89') but Hlozek rounded off the scoring on 90 minutes. Celebrations with the packed away section followed.

league opener against RB Leipzig

Bayer 04 start the Bundesliga campaign with a home game at the BayArena against RB Leipzig on Saturday 19 August with the kick off at 15.30 CEST.

Match report:

Teutonia 05: Liesegang – Weidlich, Coffie (Brodersen 72'), Hertner, Schwede – Maiolo (Uphoff 82') – Wohlers (Monteiro 53'), Istefo, Graudenz, Berisha (Igwe 72') – Ifeadigo (Siala 46')

Bayer 04: Hradecky – Frimpong (Arthur 70'), Kossounou, Tapsoba (Tah 62'), Grimaldo – Palacios, Xhaka (Andrich 62') – Hofmann, Wirtz (Hlozek 69’), Adli – Boniface (Mbamba 76’)

Goals: 0-1 Tapsoba (16’), 0-2 Boniface (42’), 0-3 Wirtz (45+1’), 0-4 Adli (pen. 59’). 0-5 Frimpong (67’), 0-6 Hlozek (75’), 0-7 Hofmann (81’), 0-8 Hlozek (90’)

Booked: Maiolo, Glawogger (coach) – Hlozek

Referee: Tom Bauer (Mainz)

Attendance: 11,035 at the Millerntor Stadium