Bayer Leverkusen were not affected by their first defeat in the Bundesliga in 35 games. The champions won 4-1 at TSG Hoffenheim two weeks after their 3-2 defeat against RB Leipzig.
Martin Terrier and Victor Boniface scored in Sinsheim in the first half hour, Florian Wirtz from the penalty spot and Boniface again in the second half for a Leverkusen team led by director Granit Xhaka that was particularly impressive in the early stages.
While Leverkusen's conquerors Leipzig lost 0-0 at home to Union Berlin in the absence of both head coaches Marco Rose (Leipzig/suspended) and Bo Svensson (Union/ill), partly due to a missed penalty by Lois Openda, Fabian Rieder helped VfB Stuttgart to their first victory in the 3-1 win at Mönchengladbach as a two-time provider.
The Swiss international, on loan from Rennes, was part of the Swabians' starting line-up for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid and set up substitute Ermedin Demirovic's double in quick succession on the hour mark. For the 2:1, Rieder made his way down the right wing, and for the 3:1 he struck a corner. Referee Felix Brych, returning from a cruciate ligament rupture, became the referee with the most matches in the top German league with his 345th Bundesliga appearance in Stuttgart.
Cedric Zesiger had an unfortunate afternoon in the 2-1 draw with Wolfsburg against Eintracht Frankfurt. The Swiss central defender was at fault for the decisive penalty in the 82nd minute when Frankfurt's double goalscorer Omar Marmoush scored to make it 1-2.
Brief telegrams and rankings:
Hoffenheim - Bayer Leverkusen 1:4 (1:2). - 30'150 spectators. - Goals: 17 Terrier 0:1. 30 Boniface 0:2. 37 Berisha 1:2. 72 Wirtz (penalty) 1:3. 75 Boniface 1:4. - Comments: Leverkusen with Xhaka.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1:3 (1:1) - VfB Stuttgart. - 53'756 spectators. - Goals: 21 Undav 0:1. 27 Pléa 1:1. 57 Demirovic 1:2. 61 Demirovic 1:3. - Comments: Mönchengladbach with Omlin and Elvedi, Stuttgart with Rieder (until 74./2 assists), without Stergiou (not in the squad). 345th match for referee Felix Brych (Bundesliga record).
Wolfsburg - Eintracht Frankfurt 1:2 (0:1). - 26'281 spectators. - Goals: 30. Marmoush 0:1. 76. Baku 1:1. 82. Marmoush (penalty) 1:2. - Remarks: Wolfsburg with Zesiger, Frankfurt with Amenda (from 85).
Freiburg - Bochum 2:1 (0:1). - 34'100 spectators. - Goals: 45. Boadu 0:1. 58. Adamu 1:1. 61. Adamu 2:1. - Remarks: SC Freiburg without Ogbus (substitute) and Manzambi (not in the squad). Bochum without Loosli (not in the squad).
Other match on Saturday: Holstein Kiel - Bayern Munich 18.30 hrs.
Ranking: 1. Borussia Dortmund 3/7 (6:2). 2. RB Leipzig 3/7 (4:2). 3. Bayern Munich 2/6 (5:2). 4. Heidenheim 3/6 (8:4). 5. Bayer Leverkusen 3/6 (9:6). 6. Eintracht Frankfurt 3/6 (5:4). 7. SC Freiburg 3/6 (5:4). 8. Union Berlin 3/5 (2:1). 9. Borussia Mönchengladbach 2/3 (4:3). 10. Wolfsburg 3/3 (5:5). 11. Hoffenheim 3/3 (5:9). 12. Mainz 05 2/2 (4:4). 13. Werder Bremen 2/2 (2:2). 14. VfB Stuttgart 2/1 (4:6). 15. Augsburg 2/1 (2:6). 16. Holstein Kiel 2/0 (2:5). 17. St. Pauli 2/0 (0:3). 18. Bochum 3/0 (1:5).
SDA
