DFB Pokal: Hofmann heads Werkself into second round

Bayer 04 head coach Xabi Alonso made seven changes from the line-up for the 3-2 win in the Bundesliga opener at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Matej Kovar played in goal in place of Lukas Hradecky who was rested due to a recent illness and he did not travel to Jena. Arthur, Jeanuel Belocian, Aleix Garcia, Nathan Tella, Amine Adli and Patrik Schick came into the starting XI, Piero Hincapie, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo and Florian Wirtz dropped to the bench. Victor Boniface was suspended as were Martin Terrier and Odilon Kossounou. The matchday squad also included the three U19 players Othniel Raterink, Francis Onyeka and Artem Stepanov.

Adli hits the post

The DFB Pokal holders started the game against the team at the top of the Regional League North East with maximum concentration. The first attack on goal for the Werkself came after eight minutes but the hosts were able to clear a whipped in cross from the left by Adli. Jena did not sit back and they tried to play with courage and aggression but Bayer 04 countered that with their passing game. When Adli hit the post Hofmann was in an offside position (16'). Leverkusen found it difficult to get down the wings with pace with the hosts closing down space and being organised in defence. A Tella break down the left led to a shot from Schick that was blocked and the Czechia international had an effort from the following corner that hit the side netting (25'). The best chance fell to Adli who cut in from the right but his powerful left foot shot from the edge of the box hit the right-hand post (31'). A Tah header from a Garcia corner flew past the far upright (36') and the two sides went into half-time with the scoreline of 0-0.

Hofmann converts Grimaldo assist

The Werkself started the second half more on the front foot with Alejandro Grimaldo coming on for Arthur. The introduction of the Spaniard soon paid off: A Grimaldo cross was headed into the net by Jonas Hofmann to give the Werkself the lead on 52 minutes. At the other end, the almost untested Matej Kovar was on his toes to deny Kay Seidemann (65'). Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong then came off the bench to replace Tella and Adli (68') with Granit Xhaka coming on for Andrich five minutes later. Jena's first shot from Nils Butzen from a corner was comfortably saved by Kovar (77'). Wirtz then had an effort on goal from a promising position but it was blocked by Khaled El Haija (83'). Jena gave their all in the closing stages with a mixture of courage and desperation. There were six minutes of added time – and the hosts had a good chance to level: Hamza Muqaj put the ball over the bar from close range for a lucky escape for the Werkself (90+3'). Schick then had a chance to seal the win in a one-on-one with keeper Alexios Dedidis (90+4') but the match then ended with the 1-0 win for the Werkself.

RB Leipzig visit for top match on Saturday

Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action on Saturday, 31 August, for the top match against RB Leipzig with the kick-off at the BayArena at 18.30 CEST.

Match stats:

Carl Zeiss Jena: Dedidis – Butzen, El Haija, Reddemann, Krämer – Schau – Gipson (Prokopenko 76'), Muqaj, Richter (Seidemann 59') – Sezer (Zank 64'), Weinhauer

Bayer 04: Kovar – Arthur (Grimaldo 46'), Tah, Tapsoba, Belocian – Andrich (Xhaka 73'), Garcia – Tella (Frimpong 68'), Hofmann, Adli (Wirtz 68') – Schick

Goals: 0-1 Hofmann (52’)

Referee: Tobias Welz (Wiesbaden)

Yellow cards: Reddemann, Schau – Andrich

Attendance: 15,000 at the Ernst Abbe Sportfeld (sold out)