Dortmund cruise past HEBC Hamburg to reach DFB-Pokal second round

Borussia Dortmund began their DFB-Pokal campaign with a convincing victory over fifth-tier HEBC Hamburg, scoring five times to progress comfortably into the second round.

Niko Kovac made seven changes to his starting line-up, but Dortmund remained in control despite being held at bay for the opening 30 minutes by a determined HEBC side.

The Bundesliga club broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when HEBC defender Janek Wrede accidentally diverted the ball into his own goal. Daniel Svensson added a second three minutes later, leaving the hosts with a difficult task against the 2024 Champions League finalists.

Dortmund’s advantage quickly became decisive as 18-year-old forward Samuele Inacio scored twice before half-time. The teenager’s goals gave Kovac’s side a four-goal lead at the break and effectively settled the tie.

Former Wolves forward Fabio Silva completed the scoring before the hour mark, ensuring Dortmund advanced without any serious late pressure from their opponents.

The match attracted an official attendance of 45,917 at Volksparkstadion, setting a German Cup record for a fixture involving a fifth-tier club. HEBC usually play at a ground with a capacity of 2,500, but the tie was moved to the 57,000-seat stadium for the occasion.

Large sections of the crowd were dressed in Dortmund’s traditional yellow, despite HEBC being listed as the home team. The decision to stage the match at Volksparkstadion is expected to deliver a substantial financial benefit to the amateur club, which will receive much of the matchday revenue.

Dortmund’s deadline-day loan signing Ethan Nwaneri was not registered in time to make his debut. Holders Bayern Munich begin their defence against second-tier VfL Osnabruck on Wednesday.

Kovac welcomed the result while stressing that the quality of Dortmund’s performance was particularly encouraging.

“I was hoping for a win,” Kovac told the media.

“The way we pulled it off, especially in the first half, makes me very happy. That’s the kind of football we’re capable of playing and the kind we need to play – especially at home. It has left us wanting more.”

The manager also highlighted the number of opportunities his side created, rather than focusing solely on the margin of victory.

He added: “For me, what matters most is how many chances we created. That’s because the more chances you have, the higher the likelihood that you’ll win games.”