Berlin: Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa scored one goal and set up another on Tuesday as Borussia Dortmund put aside their Bundesliga troubles with a 3-0 win at St Pauli in the German Cup.

Dortmund, last season’s beaten finalists, were looking for relief after losing their last four league games, and started strongly against the second-division side in Hamburg.

Ciro Immobile, who arguably had a good goal ruled out for offside early on, opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Kevin Grosskreutz cut the ball back and Kagawa helped it on for the Italy striker to convert from close range.

Immobile then set up Marco Reus to make in 2-0 in the 44th, before the home side improved in the second half. Florian Kringe went close with a deflected shot and Dortmund keeper Mitch Langerak did well to save from Dennis Daube.

But Kagawa settled any nerves by sealing the result with four minutes remaining after a poor clearance from St Pauli goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner.

Kagawa also scored in his previous German Cup game. In May 2012, in his first stint at the club, he helped Dortmund to a memorable 5-2 win over Bayern Munich in the final.

“We can be happy with the result, also with the first half. Not with the second. We played too little football in it,” said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, whose side next face Bayern in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the German Cup’s second round, Werder Bremen beat third-division Chemnitzer FC 2-0 to get Viktor Skripnik off to a winning start as coach.

Fin Bartels finished off a clever pass from Izet Hajrovic to open the scoring in the 31st minute, and Argentine forward Franco di Santo beat the Chemnitz keeper at his near post in the 49th.

Former under-23 coach Skripnik took over the Bundesliga’s bottom club on Saturday, when predecessor Robin Dutt was sacked after claiming just four points from nine league games.

“We really needed this success. It will do us a lot of good,” Hajrovic said.

Hertha Berlin crashed out 4-2 on penalties to third-tier side Arminia Bielefeld. Bielefeld goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow was the hero with two saves after the game finished scoreless.

Cologne had better luck from the spot, beating third-division Duisburg 4-1 on penalties after Timo Horn saved two. Cologne had Slawomir Peszko set off in the second half for kicking at an opponent and extra time failed to produce a goal.