1. FC Union Berlin is the leader of the Bundesliga - at least for a few hours. At FC Schalke, on the other hand, nothing works, while Bayer Leverkusen finally wins. Borussia Dortmund is delighted by two ex-Colognes, while Hertha is still without a win.
FC Schalke - 1. FC Union Berlin 1: 6 (1: 3)
After the best start to the season in the club's history, Union Berlin greets them from the top of the table for at least three hours, Schalke 04 is waiting for their first win in the Bundesliga for more than 15 months. The promoted team conceded a sobering 1: 6 (1: 3) home defeat against the Irons and was extremely naive when it came to defensive work. The numerous blunders were used above all by the double goal scorer Sheraldo Becker (37th and 46th). In addition, for the mercilessly effective Berliners, who after their first win against Gelsenkirchen with ten points initially moved up to first place, Morten Thorsby (6th), Janik Haberer (45th 3) and Sven Michel (87th/90th 1 ). It was the biggest win in Union Bundesliga history.
Marius Bülter made it 1-1 with a penalty kick (31st). The Royal Blues, most recently victorious in the Bundesliga on May 15, 2021, are already deep in the relegation battle with two points from the first four games. Schalke coach Frank Kramer was able to fall back on Dominick Drexler after his red suspension. His Berlin counterpart Urs Fischer changed his starting lineup to three positions compared to the 2-1 win against RB Leipzig. That's how Danilho Doekhi and Thorsby made their debuts in the starting XI.
Both had their heads in the game when they scored the opening goal: After a cross from Niko Gießelmann, the third changeover, Doekhi headed into the middle, where Thorsby extended into the net. It was the hosts' first goal in the first half. Ex-Schalke Frederik Rönnow in the Union goal saved the lead against Simon Terodde (8th). When the ball jumped into Robin Knoche's hand after a Maya Yoshida header, Schalke vehemently demanded a penalty. But neither referee Robert Hartmann nor video assistant Sascha Stegemann followed suit (25th). Five minutes later, the referee immediately awarded a penalty when Knoche played the ball with his hand again. After Terodde's two failed attempts to make it 0-0 in Wolfsburg, Bülter grabbed the ball and converted confidently - just like in the 2-2 win against Mönchengladbach.
Schalke defender Malick Thiaw involuntarily helped in Berlin's opening goal when he deflected an untenable shot from Becker. As the Berliners cheered in front of their fans, a photographer fell into the ditch at the edge of the field. After minutes of silence in the stands, the all-clear was given, he had not been seriously injured. At 1: 3 goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow looked bad because he reacted very late - however, the ex-Herthan player could only see Haberer's violent shot late. Only 20 seconds after the restart, Becker was suddenly completely free after a tackle from Yoshida and decided the game early.
Hertha BSC - Borussia Dortmund 0:1 (0:1)
Thanks to Anthony Modeste, Borussia Dortmund got back on the road to success after a bitter home defeat. Coach Edin Terzic's team beat Hertha BSC 1-0 (1-0) and showed the required reaction after the last-minute defeat against Werder Bremen last week. Modeste scored his first goal in a BVB jersey with a header (32nd) after preparatory work by Salih Özcan, with whom the attacker had played for league rivals 1. FC Köln last season. With his debut goal, Modeste gave Dortmund their third win of the season, while the Berliners have to wait for their first success.
It was less than three minutes before Dortmund came dangerously in front of the hosts' goal for the first time in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, but Hertha keeper Oliver Christensen was there in time. The Berliners held back well at the beginning, Jonjoe Kenny tested Gregor Kobel from afar, who defused the shot. Dortmund got more out of the game while Hertha focused on defending. A deflected shot by Marco Reus landed on the crossbar (15'). A little later, goalkeeper Christensen had to intervene several times: he saved the shots of Julian Brandt (19th) and Modeste (22nd).
The striker tried again and again, first putting the ball wide of the goal (25th) and then finally being successful. BVB also started with pace in the second half. Reus penetrated the opponent's penalty area several times, but was unsuccessful. Dortmund hardly gave Hertha a breather, Adeyemi failed at Christensen (58th).
However, Hertha did not withdraw and still had opportunities. Chidera Ejuke (60') put the ball over the goal, substitute Stevan Jovetic forced Kobel to make a strong save (68'). But even if Dortmund had significantly more chances, the guests didn't make enough of it.
1. FSV Mainz 05 - Bayer Leverkusen 0: 3 (0: 3)
Bayer Leverkusen meanwhile shot the frustration out of their souls with a sometimes furious performance. The Rhinelanders won 3-0 (3-0) at FSV Mainz 05 and achieved their first win. The emerging discussions about coach Gerardo Seoane should calm down again. An own goal by Jonathan Burkhardt (29') put the previously unstable Werkself back on the road to victory. After this chest release, Jeremie Frimpong (39th/41st) scored the ultimate victory with a brace. The yellow and red cards for Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie for repeated foul play (77') and Mitchel Bakker (90' 4) no longer had any effect.
For Mainz, it was the first defeat of the season against their feared opponents, who were getting stronger as the game progressed. In the last ten duels with Bayer, they only managed one win. Seoane made a clear statement to his team after the disaster start. "We can talk about words, but we have to follow words with deeds," said the Swiss. In search of stability, he relied on a back three for the first time this season, with Patrik Schick and Moussa Diaby only two offensive players were in the starting lineup.
And indeed, in front of 28,500 spectators, Bayer initially retreated into their own half, waiting for a counterattack. However, Mainz still had chances early on. Lukas Hradecky prevented a quick deficit with a brilliant save against Angelo Fulgini (6th), Silvan Widmer (18th) shot from a free position from eight meters far too harmlessly. The uncertainty was clearly noticeable in Leverkusen. There was hardly any danger in the transition game due to many inaccuracies, and some important duels were lost at the back. The lead of the Rhinelanders was a product of chance, Burkardt deflected a harmless shot from Exequiel Palacios into his own net.
And that one moment of happiness worked as a liberation. Suddenly numerous ball wins in dangerous zones, while Mainz completely lost the thread. During a counterattack, Frimpong only had to slide into the empty goal after a perfect cross pass from Diaby, two minutes later he rounded Zentner after a fatal positional error by the 05ers.
Bo Svensson made three changes at the break and brought new momentum. Aaron Martin (55th) hit the bar with a 20-meter cracker - there was no sign of giving up. The Rheinhessen tried hard on the offensive, but Bayer made it much more difficult for them than at the beginning of the game. In addition, Frimpong and Co. repeatedly showed their enormous speed in the transition game. Only the last pass was often lacking for the now very grippy and focused Werkself.
TSG Hoffenheim - FC Augsburg 1:0 (1:0)
TSG Hoffenheim refined their strong start to the season and are right on target with nine points. The Kraichgauer won 1-0 (1-0) against FC Augsburg. Dennis Geiger scored the decisive goal (38th). The FCA with their new coach Enrico Maassen, on the other hand, only have three points and come under pressure early on. In front of 17,206 spectators in Sinsheim, the hosts determined what happened in the early stages. Grischa Prömel (7th) and the Croatian top striker Andrej Kramaric (10th) were unable to take advantage of the first good chances.
After that, Hoffenheim eased off for no apparent reason. The previously harmless Augsburg got into the game better and set a few accents on the offensive. In the middle of the first half, the encounter hardly had any highlights to offer. Both teams lacked the pace and creativity. The game degenerated into a bore in this phase. Only in the 26th minute did Hoffenheim's Georginio Rutter cause some danger again. Despite their personal problems, the Augsburg team then mostly defended skillfully. The Hoffenheim offensive hardly achieved anything.
That changed fundamentally after almost 40 minutes. Midfielder Geiger skillfully completed a strong TSG attack after the Dane Robert Skov. With the goal, Hoffenheim punished the passivity of the guests over long stretches of the first half. At the beginning of the second half, TSG pushed for the preliminary decision. However, coach André Breitenreiter's team was too careless with their opportunities.
On the other hand, Maaßen gave a new impetus after just under an hour. The coach replaced his pale strikers Ermedin Demirovic and Ricardo Pepi with Florian Niederlechner and Ruben Vargas. The measure did not bring short-term success, but the FCA offensive was revived somewhat. Basically, Hoffenheim were closer to a goal in the second half than Augsburg.
RB Leipzig - VfL Wolfsburg 2:0 (1:0)
Leipzig ended its mini-crisis at the start of the season with the first win. Thanks to an early goal, the DFB Cup winner beat the still unsuccessful VfL Wolfsburg 2-0 (1-0) and thus gave his coach Domenico Tedesco breathing space. "Footballer of the Year" Christopher Nkunku shot the Champions League participant with a hand penalty after video evidence (5th) and with his second goal (90th) to victory. After only two points before the cup first round game on Tuesday (8.46 p.m. / ZDF, Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) at the same place against the regional league team Teutonia Ottensen, there should be some calm.
VfL, who set their negative start record of 21 years ago with just two points from four games, are facing an uncomfortable week. The last criticized offensive player Max Kruse was allowed to start for the first time this season. "With Max we have someone who takes matters into his own hands," said coach Niko Kovac on the Sky microphone.
First, however, his team-mate Maxence Lacroix gave the hosts an early lead: a cross from Dani Olmo landed on the outstretched arm of the VfL central defender. After a short VAR check, referee Bastian Dankert pointed to the penalty spot - and Nkunku converted confidently. After that, RB kept the pressure on, Olmo just missed making it 2-0 (15th). Wolfsburg rarely found their way into the opposing half - and when they did, RB countered dangerously. Mohamed Simakan headed over the goal from close range (35'), in front of which Leipzig appeared almost every minute.
Shortly after the break, Wölfe keeper Koen Casteels wobbled on a long-range shot by Konrad Laimer (49 '), in return the guests sniffed the equalizer for the first time: Substitute Omar Marmoush tested Blaswich with an oblique shot. After that, the reserve keeper continued to be the center of attention: first Willi Orban (57th) and then Gvardiol (60th) deflected opposing shots and forced Blaswich to use strong reflexes. The Wolves increased the tempo, on the other side Nkunku only hit the side netting (62') before Olmo failed at Casteels (71'). Even then, both teams remained offensively on the trigger.
