Berlin (AFP) – Jesse Marsch made a succesful start in his maiden competitive game as head coach of RB Leipzig with a 4-0 away romp at second division Sandhausen on Saturday in the first round of the German Cup.
The American has replaced new Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann at Leipzig, who finished runners up in the Bundesliga and German Cup last season.
A week before the new German league season kicks off, Leipzig eased into the next round of the cup.
After new signing Mohamed Simakan had a first-half header disallowed in Sandhausen, his centre-back partner Willi Orban smashed in an Angelino corner to put Leipzig ahead.
Leipzig’s former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva hit the post before Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara fired in their second goal just before the break.
Having set up Haidara, French forward Christopher Nkunku combined with Silva for their third.
With Leipzig in control, travelling fans sang “still time for one more”.
Substitute Dominik Szoboszlai, who joined for 20 million euros ($23 million) last January from sister club Red Bull Salzburg, obliged by scoring on his Leipzig debut after six months out with injury.
There were few problems elsewhere for top-flight clubs.
Bayer Leverkusen won 3-0 at fourth-tier Lokomotive Leipzig as Germany midfielder Kerem Demirbay scored twice.
Stuttgart demolished fourth division outfit Dynamo Berlin 6-0 in the capital, while three late goals saw Arminia Bielefeld win 6-3 at regional minnows Bayreuth.
Augsburg bounced back from conceding an early goal in their 4-2 hammering at fifth tier Greifswalder FC
Despite Thomas Meunier and Julian Brandt testing positive for Covid-19, holders Borussia Dortmund host third division Wehen Wiesbaden, later.
Bayern Munich’s first-round tie on Friday has been postponed until August 25 after fifth-tier opponents Bremer were quarantined due to cases of the coronavirus.
