Leverkusen were quick to establish control of proceedings, albeit without doing too much to trouble Jena in the final third. Amine Adli had the best chance of a first half played out in baking summer conditions, though his effort that struck the woodwork wouldn't have counted due to an earlier offside. Patrik Schick also went close for last season's domestic double winners, the Czech forward glancing a header wide. Cemal Sezer spurned Jena's only meaningful opening when he failed to connect with a teasing cross into the box, with the Bayer goal gaping.
Xabi Alonso responded to his side's tepid display by introducing Álex Grimaldo at the break. The move paid immediate dividends as the Spanish full-back crossed for Jonas Hofmann to head home and give the reigning champions some welcome breathing room. That forced Jena out of their shells, with Matěj Kovář called on to race out of his goal and smother at the feet of substitute Kay Seidemann. The Regionalliga side almost forced extra-time at the death, but Hamza Muqaj could only turn Nils Butzen's low cross over the crossbar from close range. Alexios Dedidis thwarted Schick soon after, with the full-time whistle coming as quite the relief for the holders.
Match stats
Leverkusen are unbeaten in 43 competitive Bundesliga and DFB Cup games.
Alonso has won all seven matches he has appeared in as a coach in the DFB Cup.
Adli was the top scorer in last season's DFB Cup, netting five goals.
Leverkusen last season won the DFB Cup for the second time following their 1992/93 triumph.
Elversberg, then of the third tier, were the last side to beat Leverkusen in the DFB Cup, winning 4-3 in the first round of the 2022/23 tournament.
Jena's best-ever DFB Cup run saw them make the semi-finals in 2007/08. They did win the East German Cup four times and were beaten finalists in the 1981 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
DFB Pokal 1st round 1st round ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld
Full-time: Carl Zeiss Jena 0-1 Leverkusen
The home side put in a spirited performance, making the reigning Bundesliga champions work hard for their win this evening. Jonas Hofmann's goal settled Leverkusen nerves not long into the second-half, but Jena caused problems of their own toward the end of the game.
Jena have a corner with only a few minutes left on the clock. It finds Butzen who volleys back across goal, finding Muqaj a matter of yards away from goal, but the youngster can't turn the ball into an empty net.
89'
Six extra minutes
There will be six minutes of additional time.
88'
Late goal?
Can the home side find a late equaliser, or is it too late? They're certainly working hard to find a goal, spending the last few minutes in the opposition half.
85'
Muqaj motivated
The Jena youngster cuts in on his left and fires a shot at Grimaldo, winning a corner. The following corner comes to nothing.
80'
Regaining control
The away side have regained control, looking comfortable on the ball as the final whistle draws closer.
Hofmann cuts it back to Adli whose touch falls to Tella on the edge of the box. His shot is deflected, but Leverkusen can't make the most out of the corner.
The home side have defended well, limiting Xabi Alonso's side to half chances so far while also looking capable of creating chances themselves at the end of the half.
A low cross from the left by Richter finds Sezer in the middle, but he can't connect with the goal gaping in front of him. The linesman then raises his flag on the far side.
37'
Schau in the book
After connecting with Tella on the follow-through of his tackle, Schau becomes the third player in the referee's book
34'
Free-kick
Tah clatters into Sezer high up the pitch as Jena look to counter-attack. Weinhauer's delivery can't find a teammate, but Leverkusen will have to be wary from now on.
30'
Off the post!
Adli takes matters into his own hands, cutting in on his right foot before firing an effort against the post from the edge of the box. It's the closest the visitors have come to an opening goal.
Trying to break the deadlock
Patrick Schick looks to force his way through a stubborn Jena defence as his side look to break the deadlock.
Aleix García takes a corner which finds Schick at the front post, but the Czech striker can only find the side-netting.
22'
Andrich from distance
The Leverkusen midfielder tries to bend one in from outside the area but gets underneath his effort and sends it well over.
19'
First yellow of the game
Reddemann receives a booking for a late challenge on Adli. Andrich then follows him into the book for disagreeing with the decision.
16'
Offside
A cut-back from Hofmann to the penalty spot finds Adli whose tame effort hits the inside of the post, but the flag is then raised.
14'
Man down
A strong challenge by Belocian leaves Gipson on the ground, and after a brief break in play the Jena man is fit to continue.
10'
Free-kick
Jena have a free-kick on the left-hand side. Weinhauer delivers a dangerous ball but Tella is in the right place and the right time to clear for Leverkusen.
7'
Free-kick
Leverkusen take a quick free-kick which release Adli down the left, who crosses low across the six-yard box. Dedidis gets down well to save.
4'
On the front foot
Leverkusen have started well, spending the opening stages just outside the Jena area looking for a way through.
1'
We're underway!
The home side get the ball rolling in this evening's cup tie.
Kick-off!
Home advantage
The home side have been in fine form at the start of their Regionalliga Nordost season, winning their opening five games and scoring 17 goals in the process.
First starts
Summer signings Jeanuël Belocian and Aleix García are making their first competitive starts for the club this evening. Belocian comes in for Piero Hincapie in defence while García replaces Granit Xhaka in midfield.
For tonight's cup tie Leverkusen will change their sleeve sponsor, using the space to promote Deutsche Krebshilfe - the German cancer foundation that will be celebrating their 50th anniversary today.
Alonso's absentees
The Leverkusen boss will be without Victor Boniface, new signing Martin Terrier, Odilon Kossounou and midfielder Exequiel Palacios for this midweek cup tie.
Danger man
Jena's Erik Weinhauer has started this season on fire, scoring 10 goals in five games so far this season. A goal against last season's Bundesliga champions would be an impressive addition to this collection, but it'll certainly be a tough ask.
Alonso's view on Jena
"They're on a roll - five wins in a row and top of the table. A big team, a new stadium and the first round of the cup... we're excited and we need to be ready."
Leverkusen's Amine Adli was the DFB Cup's top goalscorer last term with five goals. He succeeded 2022/23's top marksman Randal Kolo Muani, then of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Carl Zeiss Jena went all the way to the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final back in 1981. The team from the former East knocked out sides like Roma and Valencia on the way to the showpiece in Düsseldorf against Dinamo Tbilisi. The Georgian side lifted the trophy after a 2-1 triumph, however.
Leverkusen were dancing to the rhythm of a double trophy win at the end of last season and their triumph in the DFB Cup came after a 1-0 victory against Kaiserslautern at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Granit Xhaka netting the match winner after just 16 minutes for the ten-man victors.
Venue set
The teams will do first-round battle at Jena's Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld - or ad hoc Arena - a 13,000 capacity stadium that is certain to be bouncing come Wednesday evening.
Leverkusen's opponents in the first round play in the Regionalliga Nordost, or fourth tier of German football. René Klingbeil's side have been on fire at the start of their domestic campaign, winning all five of their fixtures while scoring 17 goals in the process.
Leverkusen and Stuttgart are beginning their DFB Cup first-round quest later than the rest due to the teams' Supercup commitments earlier this month. Xabi Alonso's men made it three trophy wins in the past three months when they defeated the Swabians on penalties in the season curtain raiser at the BayArena.
2:03
Back with a bang
Last season's Bundesliga and DFB Cup double winners returned to top-flight action with a characteristic last-gasp victory at the weekend. Florian Wirtz netted Bayer 04's winning goal away to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 11th minute of stoppage time, to keep the Laterkusen monicker well and truly alive.
Welcome!
Some 10 days after the rest of the first-round ties, holders Bayer Leverkusen finally begin their DFB Cup defence away at fourth-tier Carl Zeiss Jena on Wednesday (kick-off: 6pm CEST).
