It was a weird weekend in the Bundesliga. FC Bayern München eked out a win and are back to within two points of top spot, after all of those around them slipped up. Perhaps the highlight of week nine was Bayer Leverkusen's match in Bremen, where they put six past high-flying Werder in a bizarre encounter than provided eight goals.
Time for this week's summary of the last nine top flight matches in Germany, which once again saw the form book torn up and thrown out of the window. Leaders Dortmund slipped up, as did Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and RB Leipzig. This meant that FC Bayern were able to make up ground with a workmanlike win in Mainz.
For those who part in this week's SCR predictions challenge, you can check out the results here: https://scorum.com/en-us/football/@fussballchef/bundesliga-predictions-challenge-week-9-results
The Matches
SC Freiburg v Borussia Mönchengladbach
This was expected to be a three-pointer for in-form Gladbach, but instead it turned into a bit of a disaster for Dieter Hecking's men.
Freiburg made the perfect start when they were awarded a penalty inside the first fifteen seconds when Luca Waldschmidt was brought down by Gladbach 'keeper Yann Sommer, with Nils Petersen dispatching the spot kick.
Die Fohlen drew level from the spot themselves through Thorgan Hazard after 20 minutes, but any hopes of a turnaround were dashed in the second half. Waldschmidt put Christian Streich's men back in from three minutes before the hour, and the Black Forest outfit sealed the three points deep in additional time, when Sommer was caught wandering in the middle of the pitch by substitute Lucas Höler.
SC Freiburg 3 (Petersen pen 1., Waldschmidt 57., Höler 90.+4.) Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 (Hazard pen. 20)
Borussia Dortmund v Hertha BSC
In a game they were expected to win, league leaders Borussia Dortmund saw their recent winning stretch brought to an end by a tough Hertha BSC who twice came from behind to snatch a 2:2 draw at the Signal-Iduna-Park.
Jadon Sancho had a goal chalked off before giving the Ruhrpott side the lead after 27 minutes, but Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou hit a timely equaliser for the Berliners just before half-time.
The visitors were put under plenty of pressure in the second half, and it was no surprise when Sancho hit is second to put Lucien Favre's side back in front. It looked as though Dortmund were going to maintain their advantage at the top of the table, but Pál Dárdai's men refused to give in.
As the game entered injury time, Berlin's Davie Selke was hauled to the ground in the box by Dan-Axel Zagadou. Kalou kept his nerve, and beat 'keeper Roman Bürki from the penalty spot to share the spoils.
Borussia Dortmund 2 (Sancho 27., 61.) Hertha BSC 2 (Kalou 40., pen 90.+1.)
Hannover 96 v FC Augsburg
Hannover 96's early relegation struggle continues, as they were dispatched by a clinical FC Augsburg side at the HDI-Arena.
With only one win so far this season, Hannover were always going to be up against it in facing the well-drilled Bavarians. When Rani Khedira capitalised on an error by 96 skipper Waldemar Anton after just eight minutes the hill André Breitenreiter's side had to climb became even steeper.
Three minutes after the hour mark, it got even worse for the home side. A handball by Genki Haraguchi in the penalty area was checked and clarified by the video official, and Icelandic international Alfreð Finnbogason stepped up to double the lead for Manuel Baum's men.
Hannover tried their best to get back into the contest, and did manage to get a foothold through Ihlas Bebou after 72 minutes. There were chances as the match drew to a close, but FCA 'keeper Andreas Luthe was in fine form.
Hannover 96 1 (Bebou 72.) FC Augsburg 2 (Khedira 8., Finnbogason pen 63.)
1.FSV Mainz 05 v FC Bayern München
The defending champions were still not at their best, but were good enough to claim all three points against a stubborn if limited Mainz side.
There were chances early on for the Bavarians, and it looked as though their luck was out when Joshua Kimmich hit the underside of the bar and Thiago had a goal disallowed after a long video review.
With Mainz offering very little, Niko Kovač's men too a deserved lead. A lovely cross from Kimmich was superbly struck on the volley by summer signing Leon Goretzka, and Bayern looked comfortable.
The second however saw Sandro Schwarz's side - who had failed to score in their previous five outings - draw level. A crisp cross was finished by Dutchman Jean-Paul Boëtius, who beat Kimmich by a yard before slotting ball in to the net.
Bayern continued to press, and were duly rewarded after 62 minutes. After Robert Lewandowski's cross found Thiago, the Spaniard stretched perfectly to stab the ball home past 'keeper Fabian Müller.
1.FSV Mainz 05 1 (Boëtius 48.) FC Bayern München 2 (Goretzka 39., Thiago 62.)
For a more in-depth report, check out my blog piece at http://blog.redodyssey.co.uk/2018/10/28/workmanlike-bayern-climb-to-second-spot-with-three-points-in-mainz/
Fortuna Düsseldorf v VfL Wolfsburg
Things have taken a bad turn for Fortuna Düsseldorf recently, and there was no signs of any improvement against a Wolfsburg team that had failed to register a win since the first two games of the season.
Friedhelm Funkel's men looked to have negotiated the first half, but a handball call against Rouwen Hennings four minutes before the break set things on motion. Wout Weghorst found the net from the resulting penalty, and from that point on Bruno Labbadia's men were in the ascendancy.
After the visitors picked up four yellow cards in the space of eleven minutes (and six in all) two more goals wrapped things up. Josip Brekalo added the Wolves' second after 73 minutes, and just seven minutes later Daniel Ginczek made it three. Despite the three goals, the match was not a great spectacle.
After an encouraging start to the season, Düsseldorf are now sitting in the drop zone, just ahead of VfB Stuttgart in goal difference.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 0 VfL Wolfsburg 3 (Weghorst pen 41., Brekalo 73., Ginczek 80.)
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v VfB Stuttgart
Poor Stuttgart. They cannot seem to get a break at the moment, and fought hard for a long spell before being torn apart by a free-scoring Hoffenheim in the local Baden-Württemberg derby at the Mercedes-Benz-Arena.
Right from the start, things started to take shape. Emiliano Insúa's eighth-minute high challenge on Pavel Kadeřábek was referred to the VAR, and after a second look the Argentinian was giving his marching orders. It was a harsh call, but Stuttgart could have no real complaint. Despite being down to ten men, Markus Weinzierl's men managed to make it to half-time, but it was always going to be a matter of time before their defence was breached.
It did not take long. A Joshua Brenet strike three minutes into the second half precipitated an avalanche of goals, and within thirteen minutes Julian Nagelsmann's Hoffe were four goals clear.
Dutchman Brenet turned provider for Brazilian Joelinton three minutes later, and a quickfire brace from Ishak Belfodil quickly followed as Weinzierl's nightmare start in Swabia continues. Things could have really turned messy, but somehow VfB's ten men managed to keep the score down to just the four.
The new coach clearly has his work cut out. With just the one win in their opening nine games, Stuttgart sit at the bottom of the pile on five points, behind Fortuna Düsseldorf on goal difference.
VfB Stuttgart 0 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 4 (Brenet 48., Joelinton 51., Belfodil 57., 60.)
1.FC Nürnberg v Eintracht Frankfurt
The Sunday early afternoon fixture saw something of a surprise, with home side Nürnberg pulling out all the stops to almost take the wheels off an in-form Eintracht Frankfurt. The Eagles' wings were clipped at the Max-Morlock-Stadion, but it could have been even worse for Adi Hütter's men.
There were chances for both sides in a goalless first half, with Der Club going closest as Törles Knöll hit the upright. The visitors started to crank things up in the second half, but as the game entered the final quarter of an hour it looked as though nobody was going to break the deadlock.
Then, the home side struck. Just two minutes after replacing Knöll, Slovak Adam Zreľák headed Michael Köllner's men in front after meeting a well-placed cross from Virgil Misidjan.
The clock ticked past the ninety minutes, and Frankfurt kept up the pressure. Two minutes into injury time, the equaliser arrived. Danny Da Costa sent the ball into the box, and Frenchman Sébastian Haller, also on as a second-half sub, put the ball past 'keeper Christian Mathenia.
1.FC Nürnberg 1 (Zreľák 78.) Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Haller 90.+2.)
RB Leipzig v FC Schalke 04
After netting 16 goals in their opening seven matches, RB Leipzig again drew a blank against Schalke 04, who have tightened things up at the back since considerably after their terrible start to the season.
After a dull start to the game, the chances started to come. Swiss striker Breel Embolo should have opened the scoring for the visitors only to see his header hit the post, and Schalke 'keeper Alexander Nübel was not punished for an error five minutes before half-time.
It was much the same story in the second half. Leipzig were setting the pace, but were unable to really test young Nübel. At the other end, Weston McKennie brushed the top of the crossbar for Domenico Tedesco's side.
The closing part of the game was not pretty to watch, with Schalke settling for the point. Try as they might, Ralf Rangnick's men were unable to break through. Die Roten Bullen have now gone eight matches in all competitions without defeat, but are yet to really get into gear. For Schalke it was a precious point, but they are still far from where they expected to be.
RB Leipzig 0 FC Schalke 04 0
Werder Bremen v Bayer 04 Leverkusen
In what was arguably the most entertaining match of the Bundesliga weekend, high-flying Werder Bremen were brought back to earth with a bump against the team that loves to play hot one week and cold the next.
Blessed with an array of talented players, Bayer Leverkusen have continually disappointed their fans and neutrals expecting to see a whole lot more. At the Weserstadion, coach Heiko Herrlich finally had something to shout about.
This game is covered in the more in-depth match report, which you can view here.
Werder Bremen 2 (Pizarro 60., Osako 62.) Bayer 04 Leverkusen 6 (Volland 8., Brandt 38., Bellarabi 45., Havertz 67., 77., Dragović 72.)
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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