Bayern relief after cup win

FC Bayern Mûnchen returned to winning ways with a much-needed 2-1 home victory over Hannover 96 in a German Cup second-round tie tonight.

Hitzfeld happy
Second-half goals from midfield player Hasan Salihamidzic and Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz helped Bayern through to the third round and made coach Ottmar Hitzfeld's position slightly more comfortable after an embarrassing exit from the UEFA Champions League first group stage.

Ballack involved
Salihamidzic showed Bayern the way by converting a penalty on 56 minutes after playmaker Michael Ballack had been fouled in the box by defender Markus Schuler. Santa Cruz collected a fine Ballack pass to double the advantage from close range two minutes later. The visitors pulled one back in stoppage time with a penalty from striker Blaise N'Kufo, who had been brought down in the area by Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn

Bierofka double
Bayer 04 Leverkusen were comfortable 3-0 winners at home against 1. Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart. All the goals came in the second half, with Zoltán Sebescen starting the ball rolling just after the interval before Daniel Bierofka added a double. Another top-flight encounter saw Christian Timm's late strike give 1. FC Kaiserslautern a 1-0 victory at FC Energie Cottbus.

Ciric treble
Sasa Ciric ensured 1. FC Nürnberg emerged triumphant by the odd goal in a five-goal thriller against Kickers Offenbach. Ciric hit a hat-trick including an extra-time winner to see off a valiant effort from the home side.

Bochum through
SV Werder Bremen won 3-0 at FC St. Pauli while LR Ahlen progressed with a 3-1 victory against SSV Reutlingen. Elsewhere tonight, Bahlingen SC were beaten 2-1 by SV Waldhof Mannheim and VfL Bochum 1848 triumphed 2-1 at Holstein Kiel.

Sand hat-trick
Finally, in the late game, FC Schalke 04 were 5-0 winners against another 1. Bundesliga side VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. The hero of the night was Danish striker Ebbe Sand who hit a hat-trick.