The Bundesliga returned after the international break. The nine matches over the weekend produced a total of 32 goals, and that was including one goalless draw. FC Bayern München finally ended their winless streak, but right now the two Borussias - Dortmund and Mönchengladbach - are the teams in form.
In order to get this summary out with links to all of the match reports, I try to watch at least extended highlights of every match. After a couple of weeks, I have discovered that this is pretty time consuming, making it hard to get the piece out by Monday evening.
The plan from this point on is to go back to short summaries of each match, with links to three or four (maybe five) matches where I have put together a longer report.
As far as my predictions are concerned, I will kick off my "Win 1 SCR" game next week, match day nine. This week, I did not do too badly with my tips - though Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04 let me down... Not for the first time!
Please do comment and upvote, and also link through to the longer reports using the links on this summary page.
The Matches
Eintracht Frankfurt v Fortuna Düsseldorf
Prediction: Frankfurt 3:0 Düsseldorf. Result: Frankfurt 7:1 Düsseldorf
Producing the biggest Friday night goal fest for close to twenty years, everything clicked for in-form Frankfurt against promoted Düsseldorf. Serbian striker Luka Jović was the star of the show for Adi Hütter's side, bagging five goals in what was a stunning individual display. Frenchman Sébastian Haller was also pretty good, bagging an excellent brace.
Nobody could have predicted this scoreline, so my correct call on the outcome was a pretty decent result.
--> Read the full match report
Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Hannover 96
Prediction: Leverkusen 3:1 Hannover. Result: Prediction: Leverkusen 2:2 Hannover
More disappointment at home for Leverkusen, who were only saved by a Karim Bellarabi equaliser four minutes into additional time. Florent Muslija gave visitors Hannover a lead that was pegged back by Bayer skipper Lars Bender, and went in front again through Felipe. After that, the last-minute equaliser.
Once again, die Werkself showed that they are team that cannot be trusted when it comes to making predictions. They even missed a first half penalty. A zero return for me on this one.
VfB Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund
Prediction: Stuttgart 0:3 Dortmund. Result: Stuttgart 0:4 Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund are not letting up at the moment. If new Stuttgart coach Markus Weinzierl thought that he might have been given time draw his breath, he was badly mstaken. Three goals in the first effectively settled the points, the best of which was from the in-form Spanish striker Paco Alcácer.
I had been right on the money from the 25th minute right thorough to the 85th, But sub Maxi Philipp stepped up to add a fourth for BVB.
--> Read the full match report
FC Augsburg v RB Leipzig
Prediction: Augsburg 2:2 Leipzig. Result: Augsburg 0:0 Leipzig
Not the prettiest meeting, with both sides cancelling each other out at the WWK-Arena. Manuel Baum's Augsburg have been solid and were at home, while Leipzig continue to blow hot and cold.
I had predicted some goals in this one, but was disappointed on that score. Still, calling the right outcome worked out.
VfL Wolfsburg v FC Bayern München
Prediction: Wolfsburg 1:2 FC Bayern. Result: Wolfsburg 1:3 FC Bayern
Nobody really thought that FC Bayern would slip up against Wolfsburg, but there were some worrying moments for the Bavarians. A Robert Lewandowski brace either side of half-time seemed to have settled the match, but a red card for Aryen Robben and a goal from Wout Weghost put things back in the balance for a short while. In the end, James Rodríguez settled the issue.
This time, I actually underestimated Bayern with the scoreline, but got it right on the outcome.
--> Read the full match report
1.FC Nürnberg v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Prediction: Nürnberg 1:1 Hoffenheim. Result: Nürnberg 1:3 Hoffenheim
Nürnberg have been pretty solid at home this season, and when they went into half-time with a one-goal lead from a Hanno Behrens penalty spirits must have been high. However, a Hoffenheim team that was visibly poor at half-time looked completely different after the break, rounding on their opponents to storm to what was a convincing 3:1 win with goals from Ádám Szalai, Kevin Akpoguma and Justin Hoogma.
Julian Nagelsmann's side are another that have been really hard to call this season. A zero return for me on this one.
FC Schalke 04 v Werder Bremen
Prediction: Schalke 2:2 Bremen. Result: Schalke 0:2 Bremen
This was a good match-up on paper, but once again Schalke failed to turn up. Bremen took full toll at the Veltins Arena, with the excellent Maxi Eggestein scoring either side of the break. The rising German Under-21 star has scored some stunning goals this season, and his first was an absolute cracker. As for Schalke, they are a shadow of the side that finished in second place last season.
The home team were a complete let-down, which meant that I was way off the mark with this one.
Hertha BSC v SC Freiburg
Prediction: Hertha BSC 3:1 Freiburg. Result: Hertha BSC 1:1 Freiburg
Hertha were three from three at home coming into this match, and had even beaten FC Bayern. Freiburg were not expected to trouble them. When the in-form Ondrej Duda gave the Berliners the lead, they took full control and should have added to the total. Instead, a long-range deflected shot from Robin Koch levelled the scores nine minutes from half-time, and that is how it stayed until the end.
Had the VAR not overturned a penalty award for Hertha right at the death, I could have scraped something out of this. But it was the correct decision.
Borussia Mönchengladbach v 1. FSV Mainz 05
Prediction: Gladbach 2:0 Mainz. Result: Gladbach 4:0 Mainz
This was all set up to be a tight encounter on paper: in-form Gladbach, hot off their 3:0 win in Munich, against the meanest defence in the league. In the end, it was something of a rout. Dieter Hecking's side saved their best for a ten-minute purple patch in the second half, which saw midfielder Jonas Hoffmann score his first-ever Bundesliga hat-trick.
I did not expect Mainz to concede as many goals in one match as they had done all season in the league, so calling the correct outcome was a pretty decent call.
--> Read the full match report
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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