Berlin: Hertha Berlin needed late goals from Mitchell Weiser and Vedad Ibisevic to overcome third division Hans Rostock 2-0 away in the German Cup first round on Monday with the game interrupted by crowd trouble.
Weiser broke the deadlock with a thundering shot from just inside the box in the 88th minute after two interruptions, including one of 15 minutes late in the second half when the visiting Hertha fans lit flares in the stands and fired some towards the home supporters’ tribune.
Rostock fans responded by burning Hertha banners as the game looked on the brink of being abandoned.
Ibisevic tapped in Hertha’s second goal in stoppage time.
Schalke 04’s Ukrainian Yevhen Konoplyanka also scored two late goals to save his side’s blushes with a 2-0 win at gutsy fourth-tier club BFC Dynamo.
Holders Borussia Dortmund advanced on Saturday with a 4-0 win away to amateurs Rielasingen-Arlen as did Bayern Munich who crushed third division hosts Chemnitz 5-0.
