In a Bundesliga weekend filled with jaw-dropping moments and scintillating action, Bayern Munich stole the show as they ruthlessly crushed Darmstadt 98 in a match with three red cards.
But there was much more to this thrilling Matchday 9. Augsburg staged an incredible comeback against Wolfsburg, RB Leipzig displayed their title-chasing credentials, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt engaged in a six-goal thriller, and Bayer Leverkusen fought hard to stay top of the Bundesliga.
VfL Bochum and Mainz 05 battled to a dramatic draw, Borussia Monchengladbach secured a much-needed victory, Werder Bremen ended their losing streak, and Hoffenheim’s away form continued to impress.
Let’s dive into the action-packed Bundesliga Matchday 9.
Bayern crush Darmstadt to climb to second place
Bayern obliterated Darmstadt in an 8-0 mauling at the Allianz Arena to leapfrog VfB Stuttgart into second place in the Bundesliga.
They had Joshua Kimmich sent off after only four minutes, but Klaus Gjasula and Matej Maglica also received their marching orders to hand the advantage back to the Bavarians.
The first half petered out with its controversies, but Bayern sprung into life in the second half to demolish their opponents, netting seven goals in 26 minutes.
Harry Kane headed home Noussair Mazraoui’s cross to open the scoring before Leroy Sane tucked in Konrad Laimer’s cross.
Jamal Musiala speared in a well-worked free-kick routine, and Sane blasted in a fourth before Kane bagged the goal of the weekend.
The Englishman scored from inside his half, lobbing a lost Marcel Schuhen for the fifth goal. Bayern found space down Darmstadt’s weak left flank, and Thomas Muller converted another cross to make it six.
Musiala scored the seventh before Kane bagged his hat-trick in a wild and chaotic clash that saw the return of Manuel Neuer to the starting line-up after almost a year on the sidelines through injury.
Augsburg stage sensational comeback to stun Wolfsburg in five-goal thriller
Augsburg weathered a late storm to engineer a remarkable comeback, toppling Wolfsburg 3-2 in a thrilling clash.
Head coach Jess Thorup, who recently took the reins, notched his second consecutive victory as his team faced a formidable Wolfsburg side.
Augsburg surged ahead thanks to Phillip Tietz’s effort, netting his second goal in as many games.
However, the Wolves were far from subdued, with Jonas Wind notching his eighth of the season to draw level.
A Lovro Majer penalty handed the visitors the advantage, setting the stage for a dramatic finale.
Substitute Sebastiaan Bornauw’s extraordinary own goal and a close-range strike by Arne Engels saw Augsburg complete their comeback.
They held on for the win, even after Felix Uduokhai received a late red card.
RB Leipzig thrash Cologne 6-0 to keep title chase alive
Leipzig delivered a commanding performance in front of their home fans, celebrating an emphatic win against 10-man Cologne.
Xavi Simons orchestrated proceedings from the centre, while Lois Openda continued to show his goal-scoring prowess with another brace.
After a recent slump of three winless matches in all competitions, the hosts were determined to bounce back and secure their third consecutive victory in a week.
Openda tested Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe early in the game. Soon after, Schwabe had to deny a long-range effort from Simons.
Cologne’s defence finally succumbed to the pressure as Eric Martel fouled Amadou Haidara in the box, allowing Timo Werner to calmly convert from the penalty spot.
Leipzig extended their lead when Simons set up Openda for a precise finish at the near post.
The home side continued their dominance as David Raum’s header bounced off Schwabe and into the net. Simons and Openda combined for a brilliant goal, making it 4-0.
Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart made half-time changes to turn the tide, but Leipzig remained in control. Werner tested Schwabe, and Janis Blaswich denied Koln’s Davie Selke.
Openda narrowly missed a hat-trick, and Cologne’s woes worsened as Mathias Olesen received a second yellow card.
Benjamin Sesko and Christoph Baumgartner sealed the comprehensive victory with late goals.
Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt draw six-goal thriller
Dortmund showcased their resilience in a captivating six-goal showdown at the Deutsche Bank Park, coming from behind twice to secure a hard-earned point against Frankfurt.
The match kicked off with high energy as Hugo Larsson forced a spectacular save from Gregor Kobel, but Dortmund’s relief was short-lived.
A VAR decision revealed a Marius Wolf handball, awarding Frankfurt a penalty. Omar Marmoush converted to give the hosts an early lead.
Marmoush went on to complete a brace, sparking the home crowd into a frenzy.
Dortmund’s response came through Marcel Sabitzer’s low strike. The relentless action continued, with Youssoufa Moukoko equalising for Dortmund. Marco Reus nearly put them in front.
However, Fares Chaibi’s neat finish appeared to have secured the win for Frankfurt until Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt orchestrated a dramatic late equaliser, with the latter bagging to make it 3-3.
The thrilling encounter extended Dortmund’s unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga to an impressive 17 matches. Frankfurt sit in seventh, looking to find their way into one of the European spots.
Bayer Leverkusen beat Freiburg to stay top of the table
Leverkusen took a thrilling victory over Freiburg to reclaim their spot at the summit of the Bundesliga in a dramatic conclusion to an action-packed matchday.
They set the tone early in the game as Granit Xhaka narrowly missed the target with a powerful long-range effort within the opening minute.
Facing a resolute Freiburg side, Leverkusen had to be patient. Their breakthrough arrived courtesy of Florian Wirtz, who showcased brilliance by dancing through the Freiburg defence before curling a shot into the far corner.
Edmond Tapsoba’s header from a corner almost doubled the lead for the home side just before the break.
The second half maintained a similar rhythm, with Wirtz testing Noah Atubolu with a fierce strike from outside the box.
Jonas Hofmann extended Leverkusen’s lead when his shot struck the post, deflected off Atubolu, and found the net.
Freiburg responded with increased attacking intent, and Manuel Gulde’s header from a Vincenzo Grifo free-kick reduced the deficit.
Despite Freiburg’s late surge, Leverkusen held firm, with Wirtz striking the crossbar with another long-range effort.
The final moments were frenzied as Freiburg pressed for an equaliser, but Leverkusen held on, securing their fifth consecutive home win in the Bundesliga this season.
Around the grounds
Bochum looked on course for their first win of the season before a final late twist from a Mainz team who kept plugging away and will be pleased to get a draw.
The first chance fell to Bochum defender Leonardo, who forced Mainz’s Robin Zentner to make a smart stop. They kept pushing and got a penalty in the 17th minute. Kevin Stoger converted it to give them the lead.
Bochum took that lone goal lead into the half-time break. They thought they had doubled their lead immediately after kick-off for the second 45, but VAR cancelled Moritz Broschinski’s goal.
Mainz refused to go down without a fight, and Anthony Caci’s shot ricocheted off Keven Schlotterbeck before finding its way into the net for the equaliser.
Schlotterbeck, keen to make up for his error, headed in Stoger’s corner in the 82nd minute to restore the lead for his side.
Despite the heavy blow, Mainz refused to stay down and snatched a point with the final kick of the game. Tom Krauss had come on and smashed in an effort from the edge of the box to deny Bochum a first win.
Bochum are 16th in the Bundesliga, with Mainz taking the bottom spot.
Monchengladbach secured only their second victory of the season, overcoming a resilient Heidenheim side.
The match started with Alassane Plea opening the scoring for Gladbach. But Heidenheim struck back with a spectacular counter-attack, masterminded by the brilliant Eren Dinkci, who netted a fantastic goal to level the scores.
However, Plea had more in store for the second half. His commanding header ultimately proved the difference-maker, ensuring the Foals claimed a hard-fought win.
Gladbach are now up to 11th after a dire start to the season while Heidenheim are 13th.
Bremen snapped a troubling three-game losing streak and heaped further despair on Union Berlin with a 2-0 win.
The game sparked into life on 38 with a Robin Knoche own goal, as he inadvertently deflected Marvin Ducksch’s free-kick into the net, giving Bremen the advantage.
Ducksch then bagged a goal for himself to double his team’s lead. The odds against Union Berlin became even more insurmountable when Rani Khedira received a straight red card in the 60th minute, leaving them short-handed.
Union’s woes continue to mount, as they have now suffered ten consecutive losses across all competitions, while Bremen relished a much-needed triumph.
Bremen climb to 12th position, while Union sit dangerously above the relegation zone.
Hoffenheim’s impressive away record this season remained unblemished as they notched their fifth consecutive victory on the road in a win over Stuttgart.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side displayed clinical precision in the first half, with Grischa Promel and Wout Weghorst finding the back of the net.
The host’s Deniz Undav squandered a precious opportunity from the penalty spot, adding to their first-half woes.
The second period proved to be a captivating affair as Stuttgart made a valiant effort to mount a comeback. Chris Fuhrich and Undav managed to claw back two goals for the home team.
However, Hoffenheim’s Robert Skov unleashed a thunderous strike that sealed the three points for his side.
The result solidified Hoffenheim’s position in the top six, with Stuttgart holding strong in third place. Hoffenheim’s prowess on the road continues to be a defining feature of their season.
Player of the week
Munich striker Kane delivered a scintillating performance, leading his team to a resounding 8-0 victory over Darmstadt at the Allianz Arena. He is undoubtedly the player of the week after his hat-trick.
Kane’s first and last goals were straightforward finishes, but it was the second one that left fans in awe.
He exhibited sheer brilliance as he saw Darmstadt goalkeeper Schuhen out of position and took a daring shot from his own half, finding the back of the net with remarkable precision.
Since joining the Bavarians, Kane has been in sensational form, tallying 14 goals and seven assists across all competitions.
Matches to watch out for on Matchday 10
The headline event next week is definitely Der Klassiker at the Signal Iduna Park as Bayern and Dortmund look to dent each other’s unblemished record this season.
Wolfsburg taking on Bremen should also provide a thrilling encounter.
Leverkusen travel to face Hoffenheim, which should be another engaging clash with plenty of fireworks.
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