Carles Martinez marked his first victory as Bayer Leverkusen manager with a 4-0 win over third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden, sending last season’s semi-finalists into the second round of the DFB-Pokal.
Leverkusen controlled the contest at BRITA-Arena on Saturday and eventually secured a comfortable victory, with four different players finding the net.
The visitors had to wait until the 43rd minute to break the deadlock. Patrik Schick put Leverkusen ahead shortly before half-time, giving Martinez’s side the reward their dominance had threatened to produce.
Lucas Vazquez extended the advantage two minutes after the restart, placing Leverkusen in firm control of the tie. The result was then confirmed by two substitutes, with Nathan Tella and Christian Kofane scoring within a 10-minute period.
Leverkusen’s performance was reflected in the match statistics. They recorded 19 shots and finished with an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.93, while Wehen Wiesbaden managed seven attempts and an xG total of 0.23.
Martinez said he was pleased with the way his first match had unfolded, although he acknowledged there was still room for improvement.
“I enjoyed my first game. It was very special. We have some things to improve, but the team was focused and the game was good,” Martinez said.
Malik Tillman was one of Leverkusen’s most influential players, creating six chances – the highest total of anyone in the team.
Summer signing Afonso Moreira also made an impact after joining from Lyon earlier in the transfer window. He supplied an assist and led Leverkusen for both shots and touches in the opposition box, registering five in each category.
The win gives Leverkusen a positive start to the competitive season and ensures their progress in the German cup, but their attention now turns to the Bundesliga.
They begin their league campaign against Elversberg next Saturday, with Martinez’s side aiming to improve on Leverkusen’s sixth-place finish in the top flight last season.