Enlarge image

Granit Xhaka celebrates his Leverkusen team's late winning goal

Photo: Thilo Schmuelgen / REUTERS

Bayer Leverkusen opened the 27th Bundesliga matchday with a spectacular success. After a long deficit, the Werkself turned the game against TSG Hoffenheim 2-1 (0-1) and averted their first competitive defeat of the season. VfL Wolfsburg stopped its downward trend with a 2-0 (1-0) win at Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach experienced a day to forget with a 0-3 (0-1) win against SC Freiburg. No goals were scored between Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin as well as RB Leipzig and Mainz 05.

Leverkusen's high-flying campaign continues: just the day before, successful coach Xabi Alonso announced that he would remain with the factory club; Bayer had previously remained undefeated in 38 competitive games this season. Game 39 looked like the breaking point for the league leaders for a long time: in the home game against TSG Hoffenheim, visiting striker Maxmilian Beier gave Hoffenheim the lead when he played a one-two with Wout Weghorst in the 33rd minute and then finished free-standing in the penalty area .

For Beier, recently called up for the German national team for the first time, it was the 13th goal of the season - the 21-year-old is also considered a transfer candidate in Leverkusen if the currently injured regular striker Victor Boniface leaves the club in the summer. Without Boniface, Bayer had to try to score in other ways, but substitute Patrik Schick was virtually unavailable for a good hour against Hoffenheim's deep position.

But Bayer didn't let up, put pressure on - and rewarded themselves late: Robert Andrich equalized after a corner kick and averted the defeat (88th), Schick was spot on after a cross in the six-yard box and even scored the winning goal in added time . The fans in Leverkusen burst into cheers and continue to celebrate the first championship in the club's history.

VfL Wolfsburg recently failed to win eleven times in a row in the league. The consequence: Coach Niko Kovač had to leave, and successor Ralph Hasenhüttl was immediately introduced as the new head coach. And the Austrian celebrated a perfect start. Bremen, who had weakened substitutes, had problems from the start in their own stadium to keep VfL away from their own goal - not least because the regular midfield of Senne Lynen and Jens Stage as well as right-back Mitchell Weiser were missing due to suspension.

Even though Nick Woltemade was able to set a Bremen offensive accent with a low shot defused by Pavao Pervan (30'), the 1-0 win for Wolfsburg came as no surprise: Maxence Lacroix scored from the chaos after a corner kick seconds before the half-time whistle (45'+ 4). The defeated Bremen team were already down to ten men at this point, Anthony Jung had seen red for an emergency stop on Kevin Behrens (43').

So decimated, Werder couldn't get back into the game; a controversial red card after an alleged foul by Lacroix on Romano Schmid came too late (78th) to give the game a new twist. Lovro Majer even scored to make it 2-0 (84th) after Bremen lost the ball.

The guests from Berlin-Köpenick got off to a good start. In the fourth minute, Union keeper Frederik Rønnow surprised Frankfurt with a long shot. Yorbe Vertessen was free, but didn't get the ball on goal from a tight angle. Frankfurt became more active as the game wore on, but the first half remained goalless.

After the break, Eintracht put Union on the defensive. Junior Dina Ebimbe moved into the penalty area from the right and only with combined forces were the Berliners able to prevent the goal: First Rønnow slightly deflected the cross, then Danilho Doekhi cleared it with a tackle in front of the line (67th). It remained 0-0.

Christian Streich's farewell tour began with a clear victory. After the last matchday, Streich announced that he would be leaving the club in the summer after more than 12 years as head coach. The people of Freiburg are not currently unsettled by the future end of an era. A shot from Maximilian Eggestein from 15 meters deflected towards the far post. Michael Gregoritsch was one step faster than his opponent and pushed the ball over the line (7th minute).

Gregoritsch was also involved in the guests' 2-0 win. Goalkeeper Jonas Omlin parried his shot from a tight angle, but the ball landed at Merlin Röhl. At the edge of the penalty area, the 21-year-old decided against a cross and instead went for a low shot that hit the near corner (47'). Ritsu Doan made it 3-0 after Freiburg had combined into the Gladbach penalty area, both impressive and undisturbed (57').

The game began with a moment of shock for Mainz: the referee pointed to the penalty spot and central defender Andreas Hanche-Olsen was said to have received the ball on his arm (9th). However, in the replay it was clear that only the Norwegian's hip was hit. The decision was reversed, and Leipzig continued to try hard, but despite 70 percent possession of the ball, it was mostly harmless.

The home team's best chance went to Loïs Openda, who headed past FSV goalkeeper Robin Zentner from a few meters (36'). Shortly before the break, Openda was successful with his foot, but was offside (45th + 1). RB also pushed for the lead in the second half, but failed several times due to Zentner (51st/54th/59th). Thanks to the better goal difference, RB is still in a Champions League place, but Borussia Dortmund can regain it later in the evening. Mainz remains in relegation place 16.

cev/mlb