Ten Hag makes successful debut after Bayer Leverkusen wins 4-0 in German Cup

By Canadian Press on August 15, 2025.

BERLIN (AP) — Erik ten Hag made a winning start as Bayer Leverkusen coach with a 4-0 result at fourth-tier team Sonnenhof Großaspach in the first round of the German Cup on Friday.

Patrik Schick, Brazilian wing back Arthur, debutant Christian Kofane and Álex Grimaldo all scored, but they assumed control only after Großaspach captain Volkan Celikwas was sent off in the 66th with two bookings in as many minutes.

Leverkusen was forced to defend for long periods after Schick’s 32nd-minute opener. The Czech forward also needed to clear the ball off the line.

Arthur scored the second shortly after Celikwas’ sending off and the other goals followed Mert Tasdelen’s late sending off for a bad challenge on Leverkusen defender Axel Tape.

Ten Hag, the former Manchester United manager, took over from the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso and has had little time to work with a squad undergoing huge changes. Key players like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka have left while Kofane, Tape, Ibrahim Maza, Jarell Quansah and goalkeeper Mark Flekken all made their debuts on Friday.

The game was interrupted in the first half by a summer storm featuring hailstones. Referee Michael Bacher led the teams off the field. It resumed after a 40-minute break.

Also, Union Berlin routed Gütersloh, another fourth-tier side, 5-0 away, and second-division Magdeburg enjoyed a 3-1 win at third-division Saarbrücken.

Union used dead-ball situations to take a 3-0 halftime lead, with Robert Skov firing in a free kick, and Leopold Querfeld and Danilho Doekhi scoring after corners.

Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow had to go off early in the second half after indicating he was feeling dizzy. Matheo Raab went on for his Union debut but had little to do as Andrej Ilić scored and then set up Jeong Woo-yeong to complete the rout.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press