Well, what a couple of days. The "English week" is over, and the Bundesliga table is looking a little more open than we expected. FC Bayern München dropped points for the first time this season against a feisty FC Augsburg, and Borussia Dortmund tear up the form book to put seven past hapless 1. FC Nürnberg. Elsewhere, Werder Bremen keep ticking along nicely and Borussia Mönchengladbach get into the mix at the top.
This week was pretty good from a predictions point of view, and had Bayern played to form it could have been even better. Two results right on the button, and four other correct outcomes. That makes six good calls from nine. Not bad at all. I still wouldn't encourage people to put any bets down based on my tips, but... If you had, you would be doing OK right now...
Werder Bremen v Hertha Berlin
With both teams unbeaten, this Tuesday evening fixture was billed as a thriller, but instead was a lot more one-sided than expected. High-flying Hertha, sitting in second place at the start of the evening, were put to the sword by an excellent Werder Bremen side at the Weserstadion.
It look just eleven minutes for the home side to open the scoring, and it was not pretty for the visitors from Berlin. A regulation ball into the box should have been easily collected by Hertha 'keeper Rune Jarstein - and would have been were it not for the intervention of Fabian Lustenberger. The defender kicked the ball out of Jarstein's hands, straight into the path of Martin Harnik. The Austrian didn't miss.
Florian Kohfeldt's men doubled their lead before half time, when Serbian Miloš Veljković rose to meet Nuri Şahin's corner. Having looked so assured in their opening four matches, Pál Dárdai's side were all over the place.
The second half was better for the capital city team, and they gave themselves a lifeline just six minutes in. Javairô Dilrosun collected a nice pass from Vedad Ibišević, before finishing from a tight angle.
The goal seemed to put some spark back into Hertha's game, and there were moments when they were looking good for an equaliser. Such hopes were quashed at the other end, when Theodor Gebre Selassie was brought down in the box by Marvin Plattenhardt. Bremen skipper Max Kruse stepped up, and made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Result: Werder 3:1 Hertha. My prediction: Werder 2:2 Hertha. There were moments when Hertha could have levelled he scores at 2:2. But in the end, it was a miss for me and a hit for Werder Bremen.
FC Bayern München v FC Augsburg
This was one of the shocks of the week, as leaders Bayern saw their perfect record ended by a gritty and obdurate FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena. In what was a well-contested Bavarian derby, Niko Kovač's badly misfired, and were punished following a late gaffe by 'keeper Manuel Neuer.
The first half was pretty quiet, but Bayern created - and spurned - a hat full of chances. Renato Sanches and Sandro Wagner were both guilty of poor finishing, as the teams went into their dressing rooms with the half-time score at 0:0.
A far more purposeful FC Bayern emerged after the break, and the home fans must have expected a smooth run to the finish when Arjen Robben smashed the ball home after 48 minutes. The chances came and went. A Franck Ribéry effort was narrowly(?) ruled out for offside, with the referee not even bothering to consult the VAR.
Then came the sucker punch. A corner was spilled by Neuer, the ball was flashed back into the six-yard box. There to meet it was Felix Götze, the younger brother of World Cup winner and former Bayern man Mario. Or rather, the ball met Götze's chest. It was an ugly goal, but even ugly goals count.
Augsburg shut up shop after that, and will be more than pleased at taking a point off the reigning champions. You can read the more in-depth report in my Red Ramblings blog, which is a dedicated news and features resource for FC Bayern fans.
Result: FC Bayern 1:1 Augsburg. My prediction: FC Bayern 3:0 Augsburg. I was way off with this one, but then I was probably not alone. On another day, this match could have been finished inside an hour.
Hannover 96 v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Neither Hannover nor Hoffenheim had really impressed in their opening four matches, and this was a fairly even contest early on. The game the started to ebb and flow dramatically, until Hoffenheim finally put their foot down right at the death.
Both teams created half-chances in the opening twenty minutes, but Joshua Brenet would give Julian Nagelsmann's team the lead after some excellent approach play by the lively Joelinton. After that, there was only one team making the running. Hoffenheim could have extended their lead before half time, but would have to wait until after the break.
It did not take long. The teams were out for just three minutes when Czech international Pavel Kadeřábek cut inside to deliver a sweet left-footed strike into the top-left hand corner of the Hannover net.
André Breitenreiter's men had looked out for the count, but were given a lifeline after 55 minutes. Niclas Füllkrug was hauled to the ground by Kevin Vogt, and put away the resulting penalty.
Füllkrug then showed why he is turning into a genuine candidate for the German national team, as he tried to turn the game around by himself. He hit the post after 77 minutes, and had a header disallowed for offside just two minutes later. Having been out of the content for long spells, Hannover looked a good bet to draw level.
As the home side desperately sought an equaliser, the field started to open up. When the next goal came, it was at the other end. Three minutes into added time, substitute Ishak Belfodil sealed the win for Hoffe with a smart left-footed finish.
Result: Hannover 1:3 Hoffenheim. My prediction: Hannover 1:2 Hoffenheim. Had Hannover managed to hold out for another two minutes, I would have had this one right on the button. Though I did manage to predict the correct outcome.
SC Freiburg v FC Schalke 04
Three match days ago, both Freiburg and Schalke were yet to get off the mark. After this latest encounter in the Black Forest, Freiburg are on a roll. Meanwhile, Schalke are still yet to get a point. Trouble is brewing in Gelsenkirchen for coach Domenico Tedesco.
Despite being rooted at the foot of the table, Schalke can right claim to have been a bit unlucky. So it was the case again. New man Cedric Teuchert's close-range finish was chalked off by the VAR after an offside decision, and a Daniel Caliguiri shot hit the crossbar just before half time. Freiburg, meanwhile, we unable to pose any genuine threat.
The visitors would have been confident at the start of the second half, but once again would suffer from bad luck. When Schalke 'keeper Ralf Fährmann failed to gather the ball after it had taken an awkward bounce, Florian Niederlechner was right on hand to put Christian Streich's men into the lead.
As had been the case in Munich at the weekend, the Freiburg goal seemed to suck the life out die Königsblauen. Dominique Heintz could have doubled the home side's advantage, but in the end the one goal was enough to secure all three points to take SCF up into the top half of the table.
Schalke, meanwhile, will be looking at match day six as they continue their quest to get their season going.
Result: Freiburg 1:0 Schalke. My Prediction: Freiburg 2:1 Schalke. The right outcome, and the right goal difference. I thought Schalke might have managed a goal in this match, but even that seems to be beyond them at the moment. This team are too good to go so long without getting a point, surely?
Fortuna Düsseldorf v Bayer 04 Leverkusen
The Rhineland derby promised to be a battle between a team punching above their weight and another that had failed to live up to preseason expectations. This was a strange game, but one where Leverkusen finally showed some of their class.
The first half was one to forget for the visitors. They were comprehensively outplayed, and the only thing that was missing for Düsseldorf was a goal. Friedhelm Funkel's side carved out some decent opportunities and could have been ahead inside the first ten minutes, but Bayer 'keeper Lukáš Hrádecký produced some great saves to deny both Benito Raman and Rouwen Hennings.
Football has often been described as a game of two halves, and this encounter showed just why. Leverkusen were a team transformed, and from nowhere things just started to click. With two goals from Kevin Volland inside ten minutes, Heiko Herrlich's team flipped everything on its head.
Volland's first goal was a simple close-range effort as the Fortuna defence was cracked open, and the second was wonderfully created by Kai Havertz. Rather than go for goal himself with the target looming in front of him, the teenager lifted the ball into the box for Volland, who had plenty of time to pick his spot before firing his header past 'keeper Michael Rensing.
Düsseldorf started to throw men forward, and were rewarded with a goal in additional time from the penalty spot. There were serious doubts about Jonathan Tah's challenge on Niko Gießelmann, but Hennings smashed the spot-kick past Lukáš Hrádecký. The home side had managed to get themselves on the scoreboard, but it a case of too little, too late.
Result: Düsseldorf 1:2 Leverkusen. My prediction: Düsseldorf 1:0 Leverkusen. Had Düsseldorf backed up their dominance with a goal in the first half, this could have worked out. In the end, a ten minute purple patch for Leverkusen sent the result the other way.
Borussia Dortmund v 1. FC Nürnberg
FC Bayern München have dominated this early part of the season, while Dortmund have been blowing hot and cold. Against Nürnberg, Lucien Favre's side finally hit the turbo button with what was arguably the best single display of the season so far. Der Club had been competitive in the first four matches since climbing back into the top flight, but were simply blown away.
Dortmund were ahead inside the opening ten minutes, and did not look back. Dane Jacob Bruun Larsen's finish was delightful as it was clinical as he dinked the ball over 'keeper Fabian Bredlow, and Marco Reus's emphatic finish doubled the home side's advantage after 32 minutes. It could have been a lot more.
The goal glut that didn't come in the first half, came in the second. Having put up some feisty displays so far, Michael Köllner's side were made to look like a second division outfit. Achraf Hakimi put BVB three up four minutes after the break, and just nine minutes later Reus doubled his tally.
Dortmund were now scoring goals for fun. The Franconians were torn apart all over the pitch, and the only question was how many goals Favre's men would score. A right-footed effort from Manuel Akanji made it five after 74 minutes, and sub Jadon Sancho notched up the half-dozen with five minutes left on the clock.
There was still no letup for poor Nürnberg. Just three minutes later, Julian Weigl, also on as a second half substitute, completed the rout.
Result: Dortmund 7:0 Nürnberg. My prediction: Dortmund 2:1 Nürnberg. A correct call on the outcome, but way off with the scoreline. Who could have predicted seven goals though?
RB Leipzig v VfB Stuttgart
Leipzig have staggered off the blocks this season, but were far too good for struggling Stuttgart, who are still looking for their first win. With two goals in each half, Ralf Rangnick's men climb into the top half of the table, with Stuttgart two points ahead of Keller-swellers Schalke.
For most of the first half, the home side were prepared to sit back and bide their time. Stuttgart would have the majority of the possession, but Leipzig created the better chances. Right at the end of the first half, he home side made the breakthrough. After VfB 'keeper Ron-Robert Zieler would only parry a Kevin Kampl shot, Leipzig skipper Willy Orban tucked the rebound away.
The pattern was much the same in the second half. As Tayfun Korkut's side continued to struggle, the opportunities continued to come for die Roten Bullen. Zieler did well to block a shot from Danish international Youssef Poulsen, Werner had a goal disallowed for offside, and Frenchman Jean-Kevin Augustin hit the post.
There was always the fear of a Stuttgart equaliser, but Rangnick's men scored a deserved second goal to remove all doubt. Getting on the end of a well-placed cross from Marcel Halstenberg, Augustin found the back of the net with his right foot.
Result: Leipzig 2:0 Stuttgart. My prediction: Leipzig 2:0 Stuttgart. I could not have called this one any better. Right on the mark.
Borussia Mönchengladbach v Eintracht Frankfurt
After conceding four goals in Berlin at the weekend, Borussia Mönchengladbach were back on safe home ground at the Borussia-Park. Dieter Hecking's men turned on the style in the second half, against a Frankfurt team that was unable to keep up with the pace.
The first half saw Die Fohlen charge out of the blocks, and it was the unlikely figure of Matthias Ginter who posed the most problems for the Frankfurt defence. The Germany international had two early shots blocked by 'keeper Kevin Trapp, and the Frankfurt 'keeper had to be on his guard just before half time as Ginter showed off his ability in the air.
If Gladbach had been knocking on the door in the first half, they finally kicked it down after 56 minutes. With his first goal on home turf, summer signing Alessane Pléa opened the scoring with a smart right-footed shot from a tight angle. Less then ten minutes later, Thorgan Hazard doubled the home side's lead, finding the bottom right-hand corner.
It would take a present from the Gladbach defence to allow Adi Hütter's men back into the contest. With 'keeper Yann Sommer caught out, last season's DFB-Pokal hero Ante Rebić slipped the ball into the unguarded net.
The game was back on, but it was the home side that had the final say. With five minutes remaining, Hazard's cross found Swiss international Nico Elvedi, who nodded home from close range to seal a deserved victory.
Result: Gladbach 3:1 Frankfurt. My prediction: Gladbach 3:1 Frankfurt. Again, this prediction was spot on. After their meltdown in Berlin at the weekend, one always expected Gladbach to bounce right back.
1.FSV Mainz 05 v VfL Wolfsburg
This was a tight match up between two teams that have started the season solidly, and it showed. There were some dramatic moments, but this was a pretty dour affair between two teams that were too sluggish or unwilling to take any risks.
Bruno Labbadia's Wolves showed more ambition in the early stages, with Mainz 'keeper Florian Müller kept busy. He made a good save to keep out a Josip Brekalo effort, but had to watch as the Croat saw another shot skim off the outside of the post. Ivorian Jean-Philippe Gbamin would have the ball in the back of the Wolves net, only to see the offside flag.
The second half picked up where the first had left off, and there were some flurries of excitement. Gbamin survived a decent penalty shout, before both teams hit the woodwork. First Matthias Ginczek for Wolfsburg, then Ridle Baku for Sandro Schwarz's side.
In the end, this was a match that was fated to finish goalless.
Result: Mainz 0:0 Wolfsburg. My prediction: Mainz 2:2 Wolfsburg. The correct call on he outcome, but I could not have been more wrong about the number of goals. So much for leaky defences!
For more Bundesliga fun stuff, check out my Little Bundesliga Book project. Copies of the 2016 pocket book are still available, with the aim of raising funds for a new edition at the end of this season.
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