Bayern without Kahn for re-match with St Pauli

Bayern Munich will be without captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn today when they return to what was one of the toughest stops on the road to victory in last season's German Cup.

Bayern beat St Pauli 3-0 in the semi-finals last term but that scoreline masks what was a desperate scrap until two goals in the last six minutes from Claudio Pizarro finally eased their nerves.

They will be back at the third division club's atmospheric ground just off the Reeperbahn in Hamburg this evening as they start the defence of their crown in one of 32 first-round ties.

Kahn will miss the game after picking up a one-match suspension in last season's final, which Bayern won 1-0 against Eintracht Frankfurt.

That will mean a start for Michael Rensing, the Germany U-21 goalkeeper and Kahn's heir apparent.

Mark van Bommel, the Dutch international signed just before the transfer deadline as a replacement for Michael Ballack, should make his debut in an otherwise full strength side.

Bayern are one of several Bundesliga clubs facing tricky away ties against lower division opposition.

Promoted Energie Cottbus are away to Rot-Weiss Essen, while Bayer Leverkusen travel to TuS Koblenz in two ties pitting first against second division today.

Hanover 96, bottom of the first division with no points from three games, will hardly relish the trip to face Dynamo Dresden in another of today's matches.

That poor start cost coach Peter Neururer his job. Yesterday Hanover announced that they appointed Dieter Hecking as the new coach after reaching an agreement with his former club Alemania Aachen.

Dresden are top of the northern section of the regional third division, with four wins from their opening six games, and they will fancy their chances of an upset.

The first round programme got underway yesterday.