Stuttgart survive scare

VfB Stuttgart survived a fright against fourth division Sonnenhof Grossaspach before hitting back to win 4-1 in their German Cup first round tie yesterday.

Five other Bundesliga clubs emerged unscathed as South American pair Lucas Barrios and Juan Arango scored on their debuts for Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively.

Promoted Mainz became the first victims when they were humbled 2-1 at fourth division VfL Lubeck on Friday.

Stuttgart were in danger of following them when they fell behind to a Shaban Ismaili goal after 37 minutes at Grossaspach.

However, they hit back with four goals in the last 35 minutes as Thomas Hitzlsperger equalised, Brazilian Cacau put them in front and Czech midfielder Jan Simak added two more.

Argentine Barrios set Borussia Dortmund on the way to a 3-1 win at fourth division SpVgg Weiden with a 24th-minute goal.

Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin and Egypt's Mohamed Zidan were on target for Borussia in the second half at the Waterworks stadium.

Venezuela playmaker Arango set Moenchengladbach on the way to a 2-1 win at second division FSV Frankfurt. Roberto Colautti added a second just before the hour.

Results: D. Dresden vs Nuremberg 0-3; Elversberg vs Freiburg 0-2; FSV Frankfurt vs B. M'gladbach 1-2; Kickers vs Cologne 0-3; Paderborn vs Munich 0-1; Grobasch vs Stuttgart 1-4; Weiden vs Borussia Dortmund 1-3; Unterhaching vs Arminia Bielefeld 0-3; Burghausen vs Ahlen 1-1 aet (3-4pens); G. Windeck vs Schalke 0-4; Magdeburg vs Energie Cottbus 1-3; Munster vs H. Berlin 1-3 aet; T. Berlin vs Karlsruhe 0-2.