FRIDAY: Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Werder Bremen
Dortmund took on Bremen at a sold old Westfalenstadion on a beautiful Friday evening as they tried to maintain their place at the top, but they too faced a Bremen side who also had a 100% record after the first two matchdays, all be it two one-nil wins against Augsburg and Eintracht Braunschweig, and very lucky wins at that. This was a game dominated by the home side, as Dortmund pressed to get an early advantage, but a combination of brave Bremen defending and goalkeeping from Melitiz kept them at bay. Reus was orchestrating the play as he went close multiple times, but no-one went as close as Kuba, who thundered a shot off of the underside of the bar only to bounce harmlessly away. Bremen, after being camped in their half for fourty-five minutes happened to release Arnautovic who flashed a drive just wide of Weidenfeller's right hand post, the first real sign of intent from the Northerners.
The second half began much as the first did, with more Dortmund dominance, but this time they got the goal they deserved. A slick passing move from BVB split the Werder defence wide open and this let Aubameyang square for Lewandowski to tap home his second goal of the season. After this, Bremen came into the game slightly more, but without really troubling Weidenfeller, and it wasn't until the introduction of Franco di Santo that they had their first proper shot on target, as the Argentine produced a fine save from Weidenfeller after a rasping shot almost crept into the top corner. They kept calm and recorded their third win in three, the last time they cord their third win in three, the last time they did this, they ended up champions. Dutt's Bremen can hold their heads high, as last season under Schaff this could have been a cricket score.
SATURDAY: Hoffenheim 3-3 Freiburg
Well, what more can you say about this game? Six goals, a penalty, three red cards and almost everything else you could want from a Bundesliga game. The game started off with Sorg fouling Elyounoussi and Salihovic converting the resulting penalty. Only for him to slap a Freiburg player and get sent of, and this is just the start. Just 4 minutes later, Sorg struck a blocked free-kick from twenty-five yards out, and with the aid of a Roberto Firmino deflection flew past Casteels and it was one-one. The came continued, to and fro, until Volland controlled a lobbed pass he had no right to and sent a delicious chip over Baumann's head and into the top corner. However, yet again Freiburg levelled almost immediately after a scramble in the box, the ball fell to Karim Guede who poked home to make it two-two. The game was an absolute marvel, but after picking up two bookings in a minute, Francis Coquelin would play no further part, despite the second being very harsh.
Into the second half and the madness continued, but their was nothing mad about Sebastien Freis goal that put Freiburg ahead, as he expertly volleyed home from the edge of the box, straight into the top corner with the side of his foot to give the away side a two-three lead. Yet again, that lead didn't last long, as a slip in midfield let Thomas Strobl run free and slap a shot from 20 yards into Baumann's top corner. No more goals, but another sending off, as Admir Mehmedi got a late early bath as he was given his marching orders in the ninetieth minute. A game that will surely be remembered as one of the Bundesliga classics was Freiburg's first point of the season after a slow start, but Hoffenheim look rejuvenated and look to be far from the relegation battle they found themselves in last season.
Bayern 2-0 Nuremberg
Both Goetze and Thiago started for Bayern who could afford to leave Mueller and Kroos on the bench ahead of the Bavarian derby, which for the first half at least, was an evenly contested affair. The game began with Bayern finding it more difficult than normal to get past a compact Nuremburg defence, but the constant threat of Ribery and Robben was enough to keep everyone on their toes. The first real chance of game fell to the away side, as former Dortmund man Daniel Ginzcek rattled Manuel Neuer's bar with the ball nearly crossing the line. This seemed to be the wake up Bayern needed, and they got a dubious penalty after Per Nilsson and Arjen Robben went shoulder to shoulder, with the latter taking a tumble in a nothing challenge. Up stepped Daniel Alaba who saw his penalty saved by Manuel Schaefer, only his second penalty save for Nuremburg.
The second half brought more Bayern dominance, as the away side spent most of their half there. Mandzukic and co. toiled away, but Schaefer constantly kept them at bay. It was only when Mueller and Kroos came on for Goetze and Thiago, almost straight away Bayern looked more fluid, with a Lahm cross finding Ribery who hammered home a header to give Muenchen the lead in the sixty-ninth minute. They then set about making the game safe, and it was Robben who went on a mazy run, beating one, two, three and then nutmegging the impressive Schaefer to make it two-nil and give Bayern the game. With that win Bayern set a new club record of twenty-eight games without defeat and by scoring, they have now gone fourty games without drawing a blank. However, some bad news came on the Sunday when new signing Thiago was ruled out for seven weeks with injury.
Leverkusen 4-2 Gladbach
Leverkusen went into the game aiming to keep pace at the top and also trying to equal a club record eighth win in a row. It was Mr.Reliable Stefan Keissling who opened the scoring for Bayer from the penalty spot after twenty-three minutes, renown for opening the scoring twelve times last year, he's already done it twice this season. Also, a high point for Keissling was that it was his hundredth Bundesliga goal for Leverkusen. It wasn't long after until Leverkusen doubled their lead, Sidney Sam who seems to have a new lease of life, was set up by the ever impressive Keissling who squared for him to tap in, in the twenty-eighth minute.
Into the second half and it took Gladbach just eight minutes to find a way back into the game, as fantastic work by Kruse with the slide rule pass, Herrmann with a jinking run and then the finish by Stranzl in the fifty-fourth minute. Just three minutes later Juan Arango squared it up after an horrendous mistake by Bernd Leno, who spilt the most innocuous of crosses straight to the feet of the on rushing Venezuelan. That was as good as it got for Gladbach however, as the parity last for just four minutes as that man Sidney Sam turned, swivelled and shot past a helpless ter-Stegen, who could only watch as the home side went three-two up in the sixty-first minute of the game. It was only a further ten minutes that we had to wait for another goal, as Sidney Sam was tackled, the ball broke perfectly for Gonzalo Castro who spanked the ball past ter-Stegen from twenty-five yards to make it four-two.
Hannover 2-1 Schalke
The pressure on Jens Keller couldn't get much worse, but it was just about too. After just fifteen minutes, Schalke were a goal and a man down. Benedikt Hoewedes was sent off for conceding it and Huszti sent Hildebrand the wrong way to give his side a one-nil lead. The game was a very bitty and niggly affair, and it took until the fourty-second minute for either side to really threaten again, but Mame Diouf was clinical and took his chance. Offside in the first phase of play, the apparent Stoke target got himself back onside and glanced home a header from no range to make Keller feel even more uncomfortable.
Schalke came out of the half-time break with Keller's words stinging in his teams ear, Schalke looked a lot better but Szalai broke free after Draxler's pass to Clemens (which was offside), the Hungarian contrived to miss an open goal. He atoned for his previous error and he gave the Gelsenkirchen side some hope. This grew later in the half as Huszti was sent off for a dangerously high boot on Fuchs, who himself would later be sent off for two yellows in six minutes. That's also how it finished, with the pressure piling on to Keller, will he still be in a job after the return leg at PAOK? Who knows!
Mainz 2-0 Wolfsburg
Mainz were another side looking to maintain their 100% record going into matchday three, as they took on Wolfsburg now with one of the strongest spines in the league thanks to the addition of Luis Gustavo. This one was also in favour of Wolfsburg, with the away side having only lost once in their last eight games to Mainz and they've only one once at home against Wolfsburg in the last seven games. An uneventful first half was however followed by a fantastic second half, that went against the aforementioned stats.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, the deadlock was broken as Choupo-Moting slid in after a goalmouth scramble following a corner, he pounced on Bo Svensson's header to give his side the advantage. Soon after, Luis Gustavo picked up a second yellow card and he was given an early bath. The clincher came through that man Nicolai Mueller, who after a perfect long ball from Johannes Geis broke through and slammed past Benaglio into his top right hand corner to give Mainz a deserved win. Thomas Tuchel, who is rumoured for the Schalke job, managed to stay unbeaten against Dieter Hecking and keep up his sides impressive early season form.
Hertha 1-0 Hamburg
Hertha aimed to upset Hamburg as they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary of being in the Bundesliga, and they did just that as they continued their impressive early season form with a win they had to grind out more than what they were used to this season. Hamburg brought eleven thousand fans to the Olympiastadion, but were unfortunately sent home disappointed. A first half that had more yellows than clear cut chances was followed by a better second half, and only an Adrian Ramos strike in the seventy-fourth minute separated the teams as the Columbian netted his third goal in as many games. Some tipped Hertha for the drop, but I honestly believe they could be dark horses for Europe at this rate.
SUNDAY: Braunschweig 0-2 Frankfurt
Frankfurt and Braunschweig were both desperate to get their first points of the season, but yet again it was plucky Braunschweig who went down fighting. After a tight and bright first half for the newly promoted side, yet again class and Bundesliga experience told for their opponents like in their previous two games. The first goal came from serial goal-getter Alex Meier, who's strike in the fifty-second minute took a huge deflection to go in, then came the killer goal, as Stephan Aigner scored just ten minutes later to secure the win for Armin Veh's side.
Augsburg 2-1 Stuttgart
The two other teams without a point yet in the league went head to head at the SGL Arena, in a more exciting encounter than the early Sunday game. The game got the early goal it needed as Hamit Altintop scored his first Bundesliga goal for three years as he nipped unattended as the Stuttgart defence fell asleep. Then in the thirty-sixth minute it was two-nil as my favourite name in the Bundesliga, Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker headed home. The first half wasn't over though, as Stuttgart's Mr.Dependable Vevad Ibisevic tucked away a penalty.
Into the second half and it was a much nervier and tighter affair, with Augsburg having to clear off the line being the most exciting event, well, apart from former Augsburg man Ibrahima Traore getting a very debatable red card to make it a record eight for the match day. That means that both Suttgart and Braunschweig are yet to get a point on the board this season.
That's all for Matchday 3 from me, here's hoping next week is just as exciting!
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