Bayer responds to its initial bankruptcy filing with a dazzling display of goal achievements
Bayern Munich overcomes their first Bundesliga loss in over a year against Hoffenheim, thanks mainly to Victor Boniface's performance. Leipzig falls short in points against Union Berlin due to a missed penalty, while Stuttgart and Frankfurt secure away victories. Freiburg manages to turn the game around against Bochum.
1899 Hoffenheim - Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1:4 (1:2)
Bayer Leverkusen rebounded from their first league defeat in 15 months, clinching a 4-1 (2-1) victory over TSG Hoffenheim on the third matchday of the Bundesliga. This accomplishment was mainly due to "goal king" Victor Boniface's contributions. The double champions will face Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Champions League on Thursday.
Boniface (30', 75'), with Martin Terrier's help (17'), and Florian Wirtz from a penalty shot (72') scored for Leverkusen. Hoffenheim suffered their second consecutive defeat, despite Mergim Berisha's goal (37').
The 30,150 spectators at the packed Sinsheim Arena witnessed Leverkusen's dominant start. Hoffenheim had difficulty surpassing the midfield line until the 15th minute. After this, Hoffenheim improved but could not score. Leverkusen took the lead first, as Terrier found the back of the net for his first Bundesliga goal. Leverkusen maintained control of the game after taking the lead, with Hoffenheim unable to respond due to the absence of key players such as former Leverkusen player Adam Hlozek, Grischa Prömel, Ihlas Bebou, David Jurasek, and Ozan Kabak.
Boniface headed in the second Bayer goal, but missed a chance shortly after (28'). Hoffenheim then saw a resurgence, with Berisha equalizing due to a knee injury earlier. Boniface also missed a chance to extend Leverkusen's lead (45+2'), as well as Alejandro Grimaldo (45+4').
Leverkusen started the second half sluggishly. Boniface and Wirtz created chances but could not score until the 72nd minute, when Dennnis Geiger fouled Grimaldo, leading to Wirtz's penalty shot. Boniface added another goal shortly after.
Borussia Mönchengladbach - VfB Stuttgart 1:3 (1:1)
Stuttgart finally secured their first win of the season, led by Ermedin Demirovic's brace. The 3-1 (1:1) victory at Borussia Mönchengladbach boosted the team's confidence before their Champions League match against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Deniz Undav (21') and new signing Demirovic (57', 61') scored for Stuttgart, who were dominant in the second half. Frenchman Alassane Plea (27') equalized for Gladbach on the 80th birthday of club legend Günter Netzer.
Stuttgart fans were already thinking about Madrid before the game, with a banner reading "Stuttgart international - after all the shit, it's time to travel." Coach Sebastian Hoeneß had urged his team to focus on Gladbach but allowed thoughts of Real. "It's like the pink elephant you're not supposed to think about," he said.
Eintracht Frankfurt advances towards a successful season thanks to the duo of Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike. The Hessians celebrated their second league win in a row by beating VfL Wolfsburg 2:1 (1:0), once again relying on their forwards' talents. Marmoush scored twice against his former club - first after Ekitike's assist (30'), then from the penalty spot after Ridle Baku's equalizer (76', 82').
Wolfsburg, however, suffered their second league defeat, adding more disappointment to their season. Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl had recently stirred controversy with his "graveyard" remark towards Wolfsburg fans. Despite attempting to "move forward" and "show the people what they want to see," the Wolves fell short of achieving this.
RB Leipzig - 1. FC Union Berlin 0:0
RB Leipzig missed an opportunity to secure points in a somewhat peculiar game, marking a minor setback before their Champions League opener. Five days before their clash against Atlético Madrid, Leipzig struggled to a 0:0 draw against Union Berlin in a dull game. Leaving Leipzig with their first dropped points of the season.
Loïs Openda missed a golden opportunity to clinch the game late in the match, but he failed to score against Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow from the penalty spot (74%). Leipzig will travel to Madrid on Thursday (21:00 CET, DAZN) for their Champions League group stage opener.
The two coaches provided noteworthy pregame commentary - without even being on the field. RB coach Marco Rose was suspended after receiving a yellow-red card in their 3:2 win against Bayer Leverkusen, leaving assistant Alexander Zickler in charge. Union coach Bo Svensson was unable to attend due to illness, with assistant Babak Keyhanfar taking his place.
Myron Boadu scored first for Bochum at Freiburg's Europa-Park Stadium in the first half (45'), but Junior Adamu flipped the script in the second half (58', 61'), with Freiburg dominating the initial half. Freiburg showcased their home dominance yet again, having recently secured a solid 3:1 victory against Stuttgart, and suffering a slight setback with a 0:2 loss against Bayern Munich. With this win, Freiburg now finds themselves back in the upper half of the table.
The Commission might need to consider the impact of key player absences during matches, as they contribute significantly to a team's performance, as seen in Hoffenheim's struggle without Adam Hlozek et al.
Following their victory over Leverkusen, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will need to ensure they maintain their momentum, as the Commission's implementing acts will likely require adherence to the rules of the Regulation in their upcoming Champions League match against Feyenoord Rotterdam.
