AP, Berlin :
Borussia Dortmund defeated third-division Stuttgarter Kickers 4-1 in the first round of the German Cup on Saturday, while Bundesliga side Stuttgart lost 2-0 at second-tier Bochum.
Dortmund defender Lukasz Piszczek crossed for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to score on the half hour, though the home side created the better chances before the break.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang capitalized on a defensive mistake to make it 2-0 in the 55th, five minutes before Kickers striker Randy Edwini-Bonsu pulled one back.
Aubameyang all but sealed the result with his second in the 78th and Adrian Ramos completed the scoring in the 89th. Marco Reus started for Dortmund after recovering from the left ankle injury that forced him out of Germany’s World Cup-winning campaign.
With the exception of Stuttgart’s loss to Bochum, the second division’s early leader, results went as expected.
Borussia Moenchengladbach and Hannover had 3-1 victories over fourth-tier sides Homburg and Astoria Walldorf, respectively, and Hertha Berlin beat fourth-tier Viktoria Cologne 4-2.
Former Real Madrid striker Joselu scored twice on his competitive debut for Hannover, which had defender Marcelo sent off in the first half.
Cologne, back in the Bundesliga this season, enjoyed a 4-0 win over fourth-division FT Braunschweig.
Eintracht Frankfurt labored to a 2-0 win at fourth-tier side Viktoria Berlin, while second-division city rival FSV Frankfurt defeated fourth-tier Siegen 5-4 on penalties after extra-time finished 3-3.
Siegen striker Zouhair Bouadoud scored in the 118th minute to take the game to penalties, where FSV goalkeeper Patric Klandt saved the decisive spot kick.
Second-division sides St. Pauli and Eintracht Braunschweig both won against fifth-tier opposition. St. Pauli beat Optik Rathenow 3-1 while Braunschweig won at Bremer SV 1-0.
Another second-division side, Greuther Fuerth, won 3-0 at sixth-tier SV Waldkirch – the lowest ranked side in action on Saturday.
