Relegation scrap tumult, title race continuum, and crazy collapses, all that and more in the Bundesliga round up.
Hertha Berlin entered their match at VfL Wolfsburg knowing that to keep pace in qualifying for Europe that a relegation threatened host would need to roll over and concede three points to the capital club. Not only did Pal Dardai’s club do that, they did so by coming from behind to win 3-2.
Wolfsburg seemed to be really up for the match as they started the match off in the 12th minute with a Borja Mayoral goal. Hertha equalized four minutes later via Marvin Plattenhardt. The Wolves however immediately responded in the 18th by a goal from Paul Seguin. BSC wouldn’t find an equalizer until Alexander Esswein, a second half substitute, in the 69th minute. A second yellow card for Seguin in the 87th meant there was only minutes to spare, and in Salomon Kalou they found a winner in the first minute of added time to get the full three points.
With Champions League action for both in the mid week the battle of the Borussia’s went to Dortmund as they recovered from an early deficit to beat Monchengladbach 4-1 at Westfalenstadion.
After a long time of poor results an early goal by Raffael in the sixth minute gave a moment of hope for a big and needed result for the Foals. Within 10 minutes the lead was equalized and eviscerated by two goals by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lukasz Piszczek. A pair of second half goals from Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele rounded off the goals for the victory and a spot at sixth in the table.
Schalke 04 entered their match against RB Leipzig with on a 12 match unbeaten run that won them their group stage in the UEFA Europa League and a raise up the table. Against the league leaders Leipzig was a change for both to show their qualities. And the newly promoted side left with full honor, 2-1 to maintain the lead on the Bundesliga.
Timo Werner has been a massive signing to RB and in merely the second minute a PK was called for a rather questionable foul. Penalty converted Leipzig up 1-0. Schalke tried mightily for an equalizer and their efforts paid off as Sead Kolasinac put one through. The good fortune of Kolasinac ended after the break he put the ball into his own net to finish off the day’s scoring. Three points to the winners and current league leaders.
In the rest of the Bundesliga
Bayern Munich went down initially to Mainz 05 before Robert Lewandowski scored a brace for the reigning champions to win 3-1.
Eintracht Frankfurt went ahead early by Branimir Hrgota and FC Augsburg equalized by Ji Dong-won to get share of the spoils at 1-1.
An embattled Werder Bremen finally got a well deserved 2-1 over Ingolstadt to change places from relegation spot to an uncomfortable but safe 14th place.
HSV has had difficulty this season but found their first three points of the campaign as they went and won at relegation threatened Darmstadt 2-0 to put the northern club in 17th place and bring the Hessian club down to 16th.
Hoffenheim hosted FC Koln in a battle of top teams but nobody expected a demonstration of attacking expertise from TSG as they demolished the Billy Goats 4-0 and positioned themselves into fourth place.
Bayer Leverkusen has only themselves to blame as they threw away a brilliant late opportunity, missing yet another penalty on the season to end their match with SC Freiburg 1-1.
Player of the Week
Marco Reus led BVB out against the Foals and with three assists as they took apart Gladbach to give momentum to Dortmund as they face Real Madrid to secure the group in the Champions League. Nearly never does the winners of the competition come from the runners up side of the bracket.
German Football Phrase
Nachspielzeit – additional, extra, added time
