Bundesliga Matchday 6 Review: New Leaders

Bayern’s Oktoberfest struggles continue, Borussia Dortmund gets results, and Schalke finally wins. This and more in the Bundesliga Matchday 6.

Bayern dropping points versus FC Augsburg midweek was interesting as Oktoberfest started, but visiting Hertha Berlin posed a different task. A task that ended in a 2-0 defeat in front of a full Olympiastadion which dropped Bayern off the top spot for the first time this season.

Bayern’s weakness in attack caused the opportunities for Hertha to take advantage during the first half as Vedad Ibesivic first converted a penalty and Ondrej Duda scored the second before the halftime whistle. Wave after wave like the ocean came up against the defense of the Old Lady and yet the capital city club proved themselves a match that will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Borussia Dortmund, knowing of the loss by Bayern the night before, took full advantage to go top of the table with a 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. The four goal comeback showed a sense of strength that BVB has on its bench which will suit them well with multiple campaigns to manage.

A first half that was the polar opposite of a start for BVB looked to have shown that Leverkusen would’ve lost their first three and possible followed with three wins. For BVB, the changes that were made, bringing on Mahmoud Dahoud, Paco Alcacer, and Jadon Sancho after the half turned the game on its head and the final 30 minutes brought four goals for the 4-2 scoreline. With Champions League and Europa League for both Dortmund and Leverkusen, respectively, things will be interesting as each plays midweek.

With a funny tag of Plastico and Julian Nagelsmann to join Leipzig from Hoffenheim after season’s end, a 2-1 victory by Leipzig in Hoffenheim created a stir. RB had performed poorly on the road while Hoffenheim looked better at balancing two matches a week.

All the surrounding drama for this fixture screams that there was something fishy going on and yet all Naglesmann has talked about is how he’s not fielded calls from Leipzig since the announcement that he would take control next season. Despite this, Hoffenheim will feel the aggrieved side in not getting a share or the full points from this. Each now plays in Europe midweek, so with one Bundesliga match left before the October international break, there’s still movement to be made before opinions can be firmly constructed.

ELSEWHERE IN THE BUNDESLIGA

Schalke 04 ended their five-match losing streak to start the season with a 1-0 victory over Mainz 05. The Royal Blues now turn to the Champions League before one final Bundesliga match before the international break.

Eintracht Frankfurt dispatched Hannover 96, 4-1. The victory sees the Eagles move to mid-table, but sends the northern club to the bottom of the table.

Stuttgart earned their first victory over Werder Bremen, 2-1. A first half where VfB took an early lead and Bremen down to 10 men set the tone for the win that moved the Swabians from 17th to 16th after a rough start to the season.

Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach now rest in seventh and fourth between, respectively, as they played out to a 2-2 draw. Gladbach led twice and the Wolves equalized twice. BMG missed moving level on points with Munich and the Volkswagen club missed moving to fourth themselves.

In the battle of the promoted clubs–Fortuna Dusseldorf and Nurnberg–the Franconian hosts, der Klub, came away with a key 3-0 victory leaving the winners in 10th and well enough away from those down in the relegation zone.

FC Augsburg, fresh off a earned point from Bayern, throttled 4-1 SC Freiburg which will prove key come season’s end.

BELOW THE BUNDESLIGA

In the second division, Bundesliga.2, the biggest match was the Hamburg derby between recently relegated HSV and St Pauli, which while full of passion ended 0-0. Meanwhile with a 3-1 win at the weekend, FC Koln looks for an immediate return as they are top with a four-point gap on Franconian club Greuter Furth and an additional point on HSV in third.

PROST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Alfred Finnbogason put away a hat trick for Augsburg to earn POTW honors. Take away his performance and more than likely the three points wouldn’t be earned.