DPA
Berlin
RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach came from behind against third division opposition on Saturday as all nine Bundesliga clubs in action so far have reached the second round of the German Cup.
Leipzig, who lifted the trophy in 2022 and 2023, prevailed 3-1 at Rot-Weiss Essen.
Ramien Safi gave the hosts a second-minute lead but Leipzig reversed matters before half-time when Bejamin Sesko headed home at the far post and then set up Lois Openda for the second. Newly-signed Antonio Nusa wrapped up matters in the 84th, one minute after coming on.
"It took us a while, you could see it was the first game. But in the end we scored the goals,” Leipzig captain Willi Orban told Sky TV.
Gladbach also had to rally to win with the same 3-1 scoreline at Aue who drew first blood from Mika Clausen’s eighth-minute volley.
Franck Honorat levelled before the break with an overhead kick, Julian Weigl’s penalty was saved by Aue goalkeeper Martin Männel, but Luca Netz’ shot into the far corner and a low drive from Alassane Plea with 20 minutes left clinched matters for the triple Cup winners.
Bundesliga sides
make no mistakes
The 2023 runners-up Freiburg went through 4-0 at Osnabrück in Julian Schuster coaching debut after the end of the Christian Streich era, with Lucas Höler and Vincenzo Grifo on target before the break and Junior Adamu netting a late brace.
The other Bundesliga sides made no mistakes either against lower league opposition as Heidenheim won 4-0 in Villingen and Union Berlin 1-0 at Greifswald.
A year after four of them fell by the wayside at the first hurdle, all nine top flight clubs in action so far have advanced.
On Friday, record Cup winners Bayern Munich advanced 4-0 at second-division Ulm, with Hoffenheim, Mainz and promoted St Pauli Hamburg also through.
Dortmund later, Leverkusen postponed Borussia Dortmund were among teams playing later in the day, with further matches Sunday and Monday.
The first-round games of title holders and Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart have been postponed because they contest the German Super Cup on Saturday night.
Elsewhere, last season’s finalists Kaiserslautern from the second division advanced 2-1 at Ingolstadt.