Borussia Dortmund – Werder Bremen 2: 3 (1: 0), Goals: 1: 0 Julian Brandt (45 + 2), 2: 0 Raphael Guerreiro (77), 2: 1 Lee Buchanan (89), 2: 2 Niklas Schmidt (90 + 3), 2: 3 Oliver Burke (90th + 5th)
A team that conceded three goals after the 88th minute of the game and thus turned a 2-0 lead into a 2-3 defeat, especially against a promoted team like Werder Bremen, must probably put up with the question of whether they can showed the necessary seriousness towards the end of the game. A mixture of horror and incredulity was in the eyes of the Dortmund players after Bremen’s jokers Lee Buchanan (89′), Niklas Schmidt (90’+3) and Oliver Burke (90’+5) turned the game late, but by no means undeservedly had.
And let’s put it this way: Whoever acts so harmlessly offensively and so unreliably defensively does not need a veteran star like Cristiano Ronaldo for his attack, although as is well known, he is currently being offered by his advisor throughout Europe like a slow-moving man with a limp. Also at Borussia, which of course has already canceled. Even if not in such beautiful words as in those used by Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann when he broke the Ronaldo cause down to his economic core: “I don’t think he dribbles for an apple and an egg. He’s not the same anymore Youngest. And you tie up a lot of capital there.”
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, 18, born when Ronaldo was 19, no longer plays for an apple or an egg. But after 26 minutes of Bundesliga debut against Freiburg and directly scoring a goal, he was allowed to start for the first time. Taking the position of Thorgan Hazard on the right flank, he formed a two-thirds new offensive axis to fire with Anthony Modeste in the center and on the other wing Julian Brandt replacing the ailing Donyell Malen. And then just tiredly blazed to himself.
The promoted team from Bremen kicked along happily from the start and had the best chances in the first half thanks to Jens Stage and Marvin Ducksch. And Dortmund was unlucky. Mahmoud Dahoud had to leave the field with a dislocated shoulder, Emre Can tried to replace him. Apparently lulled by the supposed harmlessness of Dortmund, Werder let Brandt, released by Marco Reus, walk in front of the penalty area shortly before the break, and suddenly the favorites were in the lead.
After the restart, Bynoe-Gittens showed his potential with a fine sprint through the center. But Werder continued to shoot almost exclusively on goal. The fact that Bremen didn’t catch up sooner was thanks to strong central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who cleared Niclas Füllkrug and Anthony Jung. Half an hour before the end, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic brought Giovanni Reyna to Bynoe-Gittens for his first appearance since April – and Hazard for Brandt. The fact that it was left-back Raphael Guerreiro who made it 2-0 was just as characteristic of the harmless Dortmund offensive that day as the fact that he tried a long-range shot that could have been defended.
The last eight minutes went under in the whirlwind of the Bremen jokers.
Bayer Leverkusen – TSG Hoffenheim 0:3 (0:2), Goals: 0: 1 Christoph Baumgartner (9th), 0: 2 Andrej Kramaric (35th), 0: 3 Georginio Rutter (78th)
The worst thing from Leverkusen’s point of view was a goal that didn’t count at all. In the 39th minute, Hoffenheim won the ball in their own penalty area, swept through Bayer midfield, Georginio Rutter danced first Edmond Tapsoba, then pushed the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky – Robert Skov only had to push in. Just because Ozan fouled Kabak during the formation, referee Tobias Reichel withdrew the goal that was actually detrimental to Leverkusen. TSG could live with that. It was already 0:2. Although Leverkusen had the ball, they didn’t develop any penetrating power and, above all, the defense didn’t meet the requirements of the first division. Twelve minutes before the end, Rutter then scored another dream goal and chased the ball into the corner.
The situation under the Bayer Cross is now: defeat in the cup against Elversberg, defeats in the Bundesliga against Dortmund, Augsburg and now the swatter against Hoffenheim. And since at least the pots of the European football association Uefa state that this team should be a Champions League team, the situation is now becoming uncomfortable for coach Gerardo Seoane.
VfB Stuttgart – SC Freiburg 0: 1 (0: 1), Goals: 0-1 Vincenzo Grifo (11′)
Fourth, eighth and eleventh minutes – would be the correct answer to the question of when VfB Stuttgart conceded their first goal this season. The Swabians tend to get sleepy at the start, this time they let Kiliann Sildillia from Freiburg cross relatively unchallenged, Vincenzo Grifo put his left foot in, which was remarkable in that Grifo is actually the best-known right-footer in the league. So far, however, VfB have always come back and grabbed a point, but the Freiburg center held tight. The sports club is increasingly indicating that it is at least as good this season as it was last season. It’s getting hard for coach Christian Streich to say otherwise. He’ll probably try anyway.
VfL Wolfsburg – Schalke 04 0:0, Goals: – Notable incidents: Simon Terodde misses a penalty (45+2/45+3)
The scene of the game took place in injury time in the first half: Schalke striker Simon Terrode reached the ball ahead of Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven, who had already swung his shot. Instead of the ball, van de Ven hit Terodde’s lower leg, which was actually a no-brainer. Referee Felix Zwayer still needed the video evidence to decide on a penalty. The fouled himself stepped up, delayed, pushed the ball to the right – and Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Koen Casteels saved. But stop! Casteels had moved off the line too early, you shouldn’t do that, Zwayer correctly decided to retake the penalty. Terodde stepped up again, pushed the ball to the right again – and Casteels held again.
Missing a penalty twice in the same way has not been seen that often in the Bundesliga and for Schalke it might have been the door opener to their first win since promotion. It remained 0-0 (a goal by Josuha Guilavogui was disallowed for offside), with which Wolfsburg and their coach Niko Kovac can live less well. Kovac left Max Kruse on the bench again and only came on after an hour.
FC Augsburg – Mainz 05 1: 2 (1: 1), Goals: 0: 1 Karim Onisiwo (31st), 1: 1 Ermedin Demirovic (35th), 1: 2 Jae-Sung Lee (90 + 3rd) – Special events: Aaron misses a penalty (62nd)
Mainz vs Augsburg, a game for all those football lovers who know how to find beauty even in the darkest corners. That’s a popular prejudice. Two teams, organized in a defensive corset, actually initially lurked for mistakes made by their opponents. And they made an effort not to overwhelm the viewers visually and cognitively with the spectacle. Nothing happened for 30 minutes. Really nothing. But then a goal surprisingly drove into this lifeless game, additionally provided with the suspicion of handball, which only the assistants in the Cologne basement could clear up: Karim Onisiwo from Mainz probably inadvertently forwarded a tee shot from Robin Zentner with his shoulder and not with his hand , and shot in after a one-two with Angelo Fulgini himself. Well, thought the people of Augsburg, no more non-aggression pacts? Then let’s play soccer! And so Ermedin Demirovic hammered an assist from Felix Uduokhai with his heel into the corner, which made you wonder when exactly he had learned this magic.
Where there is a lot of beauty, there is also a bit of clumsiness, thought Aaron from Mainz. After the restart, he gently lifted a justified penalty kick into Gikiewicz’s arms. The Augsburgers owed it to their goalkeeper that he initially held onto the point and cleared twice against Onisiwo. In the case of a corner kick, after which Mainzer Lee was allowed to screw himself up unmarked at the near post for the winning goal, he was understandably powerless.