Bayer Leverkusen began their German Cup title defense with a narrow 1-0 victory over Carl Zeiss Jena, thanks to a second-half goal from Jonas Hofmann. Despite Leverkusen’s star-studded lineup, including Granit Xhaka and Álex Grimaldo on the bench, the fourth-tier team managed to stifle their attacking efforts. Amine Adli came close to scoring for the visitors, hitting the post, but Hofmann’s header from a Grimaldo cross secured the win in the 52nd minute.

Leverkusen’s head coach Xabi Alonso made strategic substitutions, bringing on Wirtz, Frimpong, and Xhaka to improve their performance, but they still struggled to create clear-cut chances. Jena pressed for an equalizer and almost found success in stoppage time when Hamza Muqaj couldn’t convert a powerful cross.

The match was rescheduled from the weekend due to Leverkusen’s involvement in the German Supercup, a game that faced boycotts from both Leverkusen and Stuttgart fans due to its impact on their German Cup fixtures. In a previously postponed match, Stuttgart cruised to a 5-0 victory over Preußen Münster on Tuesday.

Despite the challenging performance, Leverkusen managed to navigate their way past a determined Jena side to progress in the German Cup, aiming to replicate their success from the previous season.