Dortmund cruise past fifth-tier opponents in German Cup opener

Dortmund secured a dominant 5-0 win over amateur fifth-tier side HEBC Hamburg in their German Cup opener on Tuesday, with Samuele Inacio scoring two goals in the first half. Goals from Daniel Svensson and Fabio Silva, along with an own goal from HEBC defender Janek Wrede, completed the scoring. Wrede, the club captain who works as a scout for first division Hamburg, and HEBC goalkeeper Jannik Schoon, a teacher aide, both played in the match.

Despite HEBC moving the game to Hamburg's Volkspark Stadion, which usually holds 57,000, and the official attendance being 45,917 – a record for a match involving a fifth-tier team – Dortmund's pressure proved too much. They conceded only one own goal and held off the amateur side for the first 30 minutes before scoring four subsequent goals.

Dortmund coach Niko Kovac made seven changes to the lineup, but deadline-day signing Ethan Nwaneri, on a season-long loan from Arsenal, was unable to participate. HEBC held the Bundesliga finalists at bay early on but Dortmund's attacking intensity eventually saw them concede just one goal, marking a significant victory for the fifth-tier team.

Bayern Munich, the current German Cup holders, will face second-tier Osnabruck in their next match on Wednesday.