Bundesliga Review: Game Week 3
The Bundesliga finally returned after the international break and there weren’t many people who weren’t happy to see the recommencement of top flight football in Germany. The weekend started on Friday night with Red Bull Leipzig warming up for their first foray into European football with a trip to Hamburg. The pick of the games on Saturday came from Baden-Wurttemburg, where Hoffenheim welcomed champions Bayern Munich to the Rhein-Neckar Arena. Round 3 was completed on Sunday when Werder Bremen travelled to the capital to play Hertha and Schalke played hosts to newly promoted Stuttgart.
Hamburg 0-2 RB Leipzig
The weekend kicked off in style as Red Bull Leipzig took all three points from what turned out to be a comfortable 2-0 win in Hamburg. Naby Keita gave Liverpool fans a glimpse of what to expect when he completes his £48 million switch to Anfield next summer by breaking the deadlock in the 67th minute. The Guinean international shook off the attentions of Wallace and smashed home from 30 yards. Timo Werner wrapped the game up 8 minutes later by wriggling free of two defenders before coolly slotting past Christian Mathenia in the Hamburg goal.
Mainz 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen went to Mainz on Saturday without new man Lucas Alario in the squad but still hopeful of a win. Both sides were looking for their first wins of the season and Mainz will have been optimistic being the home team. Their optimism was quickly squashed in the 22nd minute when Dominik Kohr put Leverkusen ahead. But Mainz were back level on the stroke of half time when Daniel Brosinski’s cross fell to Yoshinori Muto in the centre of the box, who smashed home past Bernd Leno. On 57 minutes, Levin Oztunali put a free kick into the opposition box which was headed home from close range by Abdou Diallo. The points were sealed 20 minutes from time when substitute Suat Serdar scored with an effort from outside the box to send Leverkusen back to the BayArena still in search of their first victory of the campaign.
Borussia Moenchengladbach 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt were another side still without 3 points heading into this weekends’ fixture against Gladbach. But that search came to came to an end in the 13th minute of this game when Kevin-Prince Boateng thumped home from inside the area to score the only goal of the game. Frankfurt had 8 minutes of added time to survive at the end of the game due to an injury to Eintracht full back, Jetro Willems, but were able to see it out and seal the win.
Augsburg 3-0 Cologne
Cologne remain without a point so far this season largely thanks to Alfred Finnbogason this weekend. The Iceland international put the home side ahead the 21st minute finishing a Philipp Max cross with a well executed header. In the 32nd minute, Jonas Hector gave away a penalty that was confirmed by the video referee after a short delay. Finnbogason stepped up and duly converted past Timo Horn to double his tally and Augsburg’s lead. From there Cologne had most of the ball but failed to turn possession into goals, and they were punished in the 94th minute when Finnbogason put gloss on the scoreline by claiming his hat-trick.
Freiburg 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund completed Deadline Day deals for Andriy Yarmolenko, Jadon Sancho and Jeremy Toljan but none featured as they could only draw 0-0 with Freiburg in the Black Forest. Yoric Ravet was sent off for Freiburg in the 29th minute following a bad foul which, at first, had to be referred to the video ref. Dortmund went on to dominate the match garnering 83% possession and 27 shots on goal, but were ultimately unable to make the extra man count in what will be seen as 2 points dropped for Peter Bosz’s side.
Wolfsburg 1-1 Hannover
Loan signing Divock Origi made his first start for Wolfsburg since his Deadline Day loan move from Liverpool but was powerless to help his side claim more than a point on his debut against Hannover. It took until the 52nd minute for Daniel Didavi to open the scoring from a free kick at the Volkswagon Arena. That goal was cancelled out 15 minutes from time however when Martin Harnik scored from close range to nick a draw for the visitors.
Hoffenheim 2-0 Bayern Munich
Saturdays late kick-off came from Sinsheim, where Hoffenheim entertained Bayern at the Rhein-Neckar Arena. Bayern were unsurprisingly seeing most of the ball but went behind in the 27th minute thanks to Mark Uth’s left footed shot from range. After the break Bayern continued to push forward but Uth scored again in the 51st minute. The champions forged ahead but couldn’t find a way through, and were beaten in the result many didn’t see coming this weekend.
Hertha Berlin 1-1 Werder Bremen
Sunday’s action started in Berlin where Bremen were the visitors to the Olympic Stadium. A tight game had its deadlock broken in the 38th minute, when Australian Matthew Leckie put the home side ahead from inside the 6 yard box. The game continued to be close until Florian Klein won a free kick in the 58th minute. The ball eventually fell to Thomas Delaney and the Dane converted from the centre of the area to snatch a point for Bremen.
Schalke 3-1 VfB Stuttgart
The final game of the weekend saw an action packed encounter at the Veltins Arena between Schalke and Stuttgart. The scoring opened in the 4th minute when Orel Mangala fouled Amine Harit in the area and conceded a penalty for the away side, which Nabil Bentaleb stepped up to convert. The game remained tight and Chadrac Akolo equalised for Stuttgart in the 40th minute, slotting into Ralf Fahrmann’s bottom right corner. Schalke came flying out of the blocks after the break and it took them only 2 minutes to retake the lead. Bastian Oczipka’s corner was met by a thunderous header from Naldo. A minute later, substitute Guido Burgstaller put the game beyond the visitors after latching onto a through ball from Harit.
Game Week 4 Fixtures
Friday 15th September
Hannover vs. Hamburg
Saturday 16th September
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Augsburg
Bayern Munich vs. Mainz
Werder Bremen vs. Schalke
VfB Stuttgart vs. Wolfsburg
Red Bull Leipzig vs. Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30 p.m)
Sunday 17th September
Hoffenheim vs. Hertha Berlin (12.30 pm)
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Freiburg (2.30 p.m)
Borussia Dortmund vs. Cologne (5 p.m)