BERLIN, Aug 31 — Timo Werner scored a first-half hat-trick as German Cup holders RB Leipzig annihilated fourth-division side Teutonia Ottensen 8-0 in the first round on Tuesday.

Werner, who is his club’s all-time top goalscorer, scored twice in the space of 60 seconds to put Leipzig two goals ahead after 20 minutes.

Werner completed his hat-trick in the 43rd minute when he hammered in a pass from Swedish midfielder Emil Forsberg.

Leipzig’s Portuguese striker Andre Silva added two more in the 40th and 53rd minutes.

Forsberg, who confirmed after the game that he would be staying in Leipzig beyond the end of the transfer window, added a goal in the 56th minute.

Leipzig took their foot off the pedal as the second half wore on.

Coach Domenico Tedesco substituted Werner for French forward Christopher Nkunku in the 57th minute.

Nkunku, who sits atop the Bundesliga goalscoring charts with four goals after four matches, added Leipzig’s seventh in the 77th minute, before Dani Olmo made it 8-0 in the final minute of the game.

Teutonia Ottensen, from the suburbs of Hamburg, were unable to host the game as they play on artificial grass.

They were also unable to play on their replacement ground — the Paul Greifzu Stadium in Dessau — due to a contaminated playing surface, meaning the game needed to be played in Leipzig.

On Wednesday, Viktoria Cologne take on 20-time winners Bayern Munich in the final tie of the first round. — AFP