Editor’s Note: The following is the work of Kev McGuinness, a new contributor at LWOS who will cover the Bundesliga for us.
Game Week 9 in Germany’s top flight. We start off with probably the highlight fixture of Game Week 9. This fixture was of course Friday’s tie between Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen. Bayer had already gone one up via Sidney Sam but one of football’s most bizarre events took place during the next goal. A Stefan Kießling header went narrowly wide, hitting the side netting but the ball inexplicably found it’s way into the back of the net through a hole and was subsequently counted as a goal despite Kießling showing his clear dismay at the near miss. Hoffenheim later squandered a penalty, which was awarded with a hint of sympathy from the under-fire referee, before somehow missing the follow up with the post being struck twice in the ensuing melee before the ball was finally cleared. They did get a goal back in a frantic finale but the main talking point was the referee’s poor performance. Hoffenheim have since filed a complaint over the ‘ghost goal’. FT: Hoffenheim 1-2 Bayer
The next match was Eintracht Braunschweig v Schalke. This match was sure to be a good one due to both team’s recent form. I thought that Braunschweig were doing well with them going ahead twice but Schalke dug deep and levelled it up on both occasions. In a cruel twist at the end of the match, an extremely unlucky Braunschweig lost it in the dying seconds as they could not clear their lines and a lucky Neustadter stole all 3 points for Schalke. Braunschweig’s performance was worthy of at least a point but they learnt a valuable lesson against a steam-rolling Schalke side and remain bottom with 4 points. FT: E. Braunschweig 2-3 Schalke 04
The champion’s, Bayern Munich, welcomed Mainz to the Allianz Arena. Mainz were in poor form but took the lead just before half-time when Baumgartlinger’s pass was, rather hilariously, completely misread by Jerome Boateng as his foot missed the ball and it hit his shin so that Shawn Parker could slip in silently and coolly slot past Manuel Neuer with ease. The match was definitely a game of two halves however as Bayern absolutely overwhelmed Mainz in the second. Mario Gotze set up 3 of Bayern’s magnificent goals and in each case Mainz were helplessly routed. Bayern were awarded a penalty later on and Arjen Robben, rather amusingly, threw a little fit of petulance when Pep Guardiola decided that Thomas Muller should take it, which he did and duly scored. Bayern are now unbeaten for a club record 34 matches, a run that only looks to be threatened by Borussia Dortmund or in the Champion’s League. FT: Bayern Munich 4-1 Mainz
Last season’s runners up faced off against an in-form Hannover at The Signal Iduna Park and just 3 minutes in Erik Durm was hauled down by Sakai and Dortmund were awarded a penalty. Marco Reus continued his fine form this season by converting from the spot. Speedster Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang threatened shortly after by firing over the bar. The rest of the game, I feel, was very ‘wishy-washy’ with few chances being created by either team with the best chance falling to Hannover’s Sobiech but he was denied by Roman Weidenfeller in the hosts goal. A win for Dortmund kept the pressure on Bayern and it’s all heating up for ‘The Mother of All Derbies’: The Revierderby between Dortmund and Schalke! FT: Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Hannover 96
Hamburg v Stuttgart: A match where both teams were unbeaten since hiring new managers. The game was an absolute thriller as Stuttgart took the lead 3 times with Hamburg equalising on each occasion. Stuttgart took an early lead through Maxim, whilst Lasogga equalised soon after. Gentner’s delicate header then fooled Adler but Hamburg equalised again after the break through some very good play and Beister found himself presented with a simple tap in. In a similar spell of play at the other end, a cross was turned in by Hamburg loanee Johan Djourou, however soon after that club-favourite van der Vaart equalised for Hamburg for the 3rd time! With five minutes left, Antonio Rudiger took a dig at van der Vaart’s ribs, which the ref spotted and showed him the red card. There wasn’t enough time for Hamburg to exploit the one-man advantage and the game ended in a breath-taking draw. This game was one of the most entertaining so far this season and more than made up for the lousy Dortmund-Hannover game. FT: Hamburg 3-3 Stuttgart
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