On Sunday, FC Bayern conceded their first defeat – Frankfurt won 2-1 at the top of the table. Leverkusen shot themselves into the mood for the clash with the Munich side in Bielefeld after the international break. Earlier, Union had turned the match around in Mainz.
Doppelpack Schick in Bielefeld – Leverkusen level on points with Bayern
Bayer 04 Leverkusen did their homework in Bielefeld and inflicted a painful 0:4 home defeat on the Ostwestfalen at the end of Matchday 7. The Seoane eleven acted extremely efficiently – Diaby took the second big chance to take the lead. Afterwards, the Werkself were a bit lucky that a fantastic goal by Wimmer was disallowed by referee Felix Zwayer after studying the pictures, because Okugawa was offside and allegedly irritated Bayer keeper Hradecky. It would have been the equaliser and might have spurred the Kramer team on, but instead Bayer goal scorer Schick scored to make it 2:0. And when the Arminen tried to catch up after the second half, it was again the Czech striker who robbed them of their last hope in the 57th minute. In the final phase, a Demirbay penalty made the final score 4:0. Bayer can look forward to the top match against FC Bayern after the international break – the Leverkusen team will then welcome the leaders from Munich, who are tied for second in the table.
Kostic’s banger: Bayern’s first defeat, Frankfurt’s first win
FC Bayern suffered their first competitive defeat of the new season against Eintracht Frankfurt early on Sunday evening. The 1:2 result also meant that the Munich side missed out on their tenth consecutive win in a competitive match – it would have been a record for the FCB and their new coach Julian Nagelsmann. Nevertheless, the game started with a lot of Munich dominance, but without creating any big chances. When the first one came, Goretzka was on the spot and tucked home Lewandowski’s low cross. The FCB’s jubilation had barely died away when the Hessians promptly struck back through Hinteregger’s header after a Kostic corner. In the second half, the Munich team again increased the tempo. SGE goalkeeper Trapp had to summon up his skills several times to prevent a second Bayern goal. Frankfurt remained dangerous on the counterattacks and scored the 2-1 winner in the final phase through Kostic, who scored from an acute angle. This was Eintracht’s first win under coach Oliver Glasner.
Awoniyi’s brace makes Union rejoice
The clash between Mainz and Union Berlin to kick off Sunday’s games was not a treat at first, as both teams neutralised each other in intense duels. Initially, the injury to FSV centre-back St. Juste was the only scene worth reporting in half one, albeit a sad one. Shortly before the half-time break, however, ex-Union player Ingvartsen struck ice-cold for the Svensson team. Union were spurred on by the deficit and Fischer’s team became more determined – and could also rely on a former Mainz player in their ranks: Awoniyi needed only four minutes to turn the game around with a brace. Both times, the brawny attacker had escaped the Mainz defence and slid in flat. With Awoniyi’s first goal, the Köpenickers were able to celebrate their 100th Bundesliga goal.
Eighth home win in a row for BVB
Even without the injured Haaland, Borussia Dortmund took three points against FC Augsburg on Saturday. However, BVB made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves: After Guerreiro had taken the lead with a penalty (Gouweleeuw to Malen) (10th), BVB controlled the game, but did not follow up decisively enough and conceded the equaliser out of nowhere through Zeqiri (35th, first away goal for FCA this season). After the change, Brandt successfully completed the first good BVB action (51st). Subsequently, Dortmund missed numerous chances, hitting the aluminium through Reus and Hazard, among others. In the end, however, BVB had their eighth home win in a row, while Augsburg are now winless away from home for ten games.
Super-Joker Petersen scores again – Dardai under pressure
BVB are in 2nd place in the table for the time being, with SC Freiburg level on points behind them after a 2-1 away win at Hertha BSC. The Freiburg lead through Lienhart (17th) was equalised by substitute Piatek (70th). But Petersen once again lived up to his reputation as a super joker and scored a quick-witted overhead kick less than two minutes after his substitution (78th) – his 30th joker goal in the Bundesliga! This was the next setback for the Berliners, and the pressure on coach Pal Dardai is not likely to ease for the time being. Remarkably, the Hertha coach had already made five substitutions after 64 minutes.
Second win in a row: Gladbach win in Wolfsburg for the first time since 2003
Gladbach’s upturn in fortunes (most recently 1-0 against Dortmund) continued in their 3-1 win at Wolfsburg. Embolo was instrumental in the lightning start: First the attacker scored with a bicycle kick (5th), then he set up Hofmann’s 2:0 (7th). The Swiss remained a constant source of danger, even after Waldschmidt had reduced the deficit with his first Bundesliga goal for VfL. Stindl failed to score the decisive goal with a penalty kick (78th). Lacroix had seen yellow for the foul that led to the penalty. A second VfL sending-off against Roussillon was rightly conceded after video evidence (83rd). In injury time, Scally made Gladbach’s first win in Wolfsburg since 2003 perfect. VfL conceded their second defeat in a row.
Energy performance gives Stuttgart three points
VfB Stuttgart earned a 3-1 win against TSG Hoffenheim with an energy performance that faded after the break. Kempf (18.) had given Stuttgart the lead in the first half following a corner. A spirited drive by Mavropanos finally set the course for victory for VfB after an hour. Massimo (81.) and Bruun Larsen (84.) provided the other goals in the final phase.
The jokers sting quickly: Leipzig pulls the wool over Bochum’s eyes late on
RB Leipzig started like fire in the evening match against Bochum. VfL really swam in the opening phase, in which referee Hartmann withdrew a foul penalty for Leipzig after viewing the video images (6.). Somehow the promoted team saved the 0:0 into the break, into which the home side was accompanied by whistles from the spectators. After the change, it was a tough affair for Leipzig for a long time until coach Marsch showed a good hand. Less than a minute after their substitution, Szoboszlai found Silva at a corner – 1:0 (70.). The knot was untied. Nkunku, who had already scored twice in the 6:0 win against Hertha, struck twice more in the final phase (70./73.). After the 3-0 defeat, Bochum remain in a relegation spot, just like fellow promoted team Fürth.
Köln still on top – Dudziak’s double shot against the post is costly
SpVgg missed out on their first win of the season on Friday night, despite Meyerhöfer giving the Cologne cloverleaf an early lead (7th). The visitors had the goal scream on their lips again after half an hour, but Dudziak failed twice within seconds at the inside post. And so it was that Cologne were allowed to exploit their superiority after the changeover – Andersson and Skhiri turned the tables (50th, 55th), before Skhiri again put the lid on the 3:1 home victory seconds before the end after a counterattack. While the Rhinelanders move up to sixth place, Fürth remain on one point.
