Wolfsburg tie as Bayern Munich stay top of Bundesliga

Berlin (AFP) – Wolfsburg lost their 100 percent record Sunday, missing the chance to regain top spot in the Bundesliga as their 1-1 home draw against Eintracht Frankfurt meant defending champions Bayern Munich finish the weekend first in the table on goal difference. 

After winning their four previous league games, Wolfsburg’s draw leaves them level on 13 points, but second on goal difference behind Bayern, who thrashed Bochum 7-0 on Saturday.

Wolfsburg fell behind when Frankfurt striker Sam Lammers curled his shot inside the post and beyond the reach of home goalkeeper Koen Casteels just before the break.

Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst slammed his fists into the turf after firing a golden chance over the bar, but made amends by putting the hosts level 20 minutes from time, firing in from a tight angle after Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp parried Lucas Waldschmidt’s shot.

Wolfsburg had the ball in the net in added time when Weghorst’s header bounced off Lukas Nmecha and crossed the line, but the goal was ruled offside.

Earlier, Erling Braut Haaland scored with a stunning lob as his two-goal haul helped Borussia Dortmund hold off Union Berlin with a 4-2 home win to go third, a point behind Bayern and Wolfsburg.

Haaland, 21, chipped the ball over the Union goalkeeper from the edge of the area seven minutes from time to see off Union who had fought back with second-half goals.

“Erling is simply a goal-hunting machine. When he sees a chance to put the ball in the net, his eyes light up and a fire is lit,” Dortmund defender Mats Hummels told DAZN.

However, the Dortmund defender was less impressed with how the hosts allowed Union back into the game.

“I was very happy up until 3-0, then we allowed an opponent back into the game who were finished,” he said.

Union striker Taiwo Awoniyi had the ball in the net after 40 seconds, but Dortmund raced ahead with three unanswered goals.

Raphael Guerreiro put Dortmund ahead with a stunning early volley at Signal Iduna Park before Haaland powered in a header.

Union were 3-0 down early in the second half when their defender Marvin Friedrich turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Haaland.

However, Germany striker Max Kruse netted a penalty for Union before his replacement Andreas Voglsammer headed the visitors back into the game with nine minutes left.

Haaland settled the matter when he spotted Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe off his line and lunged at full stretch to lob the ball into the net. 

Having also hit a hat-trick in the German Cup this season, and also netted in the Champions League win at Besitkas on Wednesday, Haaland has scored 11 goals for Dortmund this season, including seven in five league games, making him the Bundesliga’s joint top-scorer alongside Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski.

Earlier, teenager Florian Wirtz inspired Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-1 win at Stuttgart despite the visitors playing with only 10 men for an hour after Robert Andrich was sent off for a first-half red card.  

Wirtz, already a full Germany international who turned 18 last May, slotted home Leverkusen’s third goal to kill off Stuttgart’s fightback after Andrich saw red with only 30 minutes played. 

Leverkusen raced into a 2-0 lead after goals by Andrich and Patrik Schick, but Stuttgart pulled one back by Belgium attacking midfielder Orel Mangala before Wirtz grabbed the winner 20 minutes from time.

The win lifts Leverkusen to fourth in the table, three points behind Bayern, while Stuttgart are down in 14th with just four points from their first five games.