Our sports writer Jamie Lashley gives the latest run-down from the Bundesliga and beyond
Bundesliga
Despite six of the nine Bundesliga games taking place across Friday and Saturday, there were only two sides that came away with victories. Arminia picked up a vital three points in a key bottom of the table clash with Mainz, as they won 2-1 following two first half goals.
Hertha and Union met at the Olympiasstadion in the first Berlin derby of the season on Friday evening. Union, who have enjoyed a good start to the season, took the lead through a smart finish from Taiwo Awoniyi after superb build-up play from Ingvartsen, but moments later Robert Andrich was shown a straight red card for a high foot. This meant Union were on the back foot for the majority of the game, playing with 10 men for over 70 minutes and seeing very little possession. Hertha’s quality eventually came through, and although they equalised through an unlikely source in right-back Peter Pekarik, a quickfire brace from Polish striker and record-signing Krzysztof Piatek was enough to seal the 3-1 win, and the bragging rights in Germany’s capital.
Elsewhere
Despite the four draws across the remaining fixtures, there were goals and entertainment aplenty. The highly anticipated top of the table clash between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig did not disappoint, as the two title challengers played out a 6-goal thriller. Julien Nagelsmann’s Leipzig side lined up without a recognised striker, but the tactic appeared to be working when they took the lead through Christopher Nkunku. Bayern equalised through impressive English youngster Jamal Musiala’s rasping finish, after the U21 international came on for Javi Martinez, and Hansi Flick’s men soon took the lead through Thomas Müller, but Justin Kluivert levelled the score just before half time. Unlike in England, matches in Germany are still ‘Geisterspiele’, but there is no doubt that had there been fans at the Allianz Arena, they would have been thoroughly entertained. Leipzig re-established their lead through Emil Forsberg just after half-time, but Thomas Müller got his second of the game to conclude a 3-3 draw.
Meanwhile, Borussia Mönchengladbach could not repeat their Champions League midweek success, drawing 2-2 with Freiburg. Köln and Wolfsburg also shared four goals and the points, whilst an inexperienced Borussia Dortmund attack, without the injured Erling Haaland, could not find a late winner to steal the points from Eintracht Frankfurt. After Daichi Kamada had taken the lead for Frankfurt, young US international Gio Reyna squared things up when he found the top corner on the hour mark.
Game of the week: