Bundesliga Match Day 1: Weekend Wrap-up
Borussia Dortmund slammed the door on RB Leipzig to secure a 4-1 victory in a game that told a lot about both teams.
Admittedly, I totally expected this to be one of the top games of the week...and I was completely WRONG! RB Leipzig has A LOT of work to do.
While choppy at times, Dortmund used goals from Mahmoud Dahoud, Axel Witsel (what an effort....see below), and Marco Reus (along with an unfortunate own goal from Marcel Sabitzer) to out-pace Die Roten Bullen. Dortmund has talent, but needs to figure out how to best align that talent so it can gel into something that contend with Bayern Munich for the league crown. Make no mistake, Dortmund is dangerous.
I am higher than most on BVB, but they do have issues with motivation at times (which sounds odd to say after a 4-1 victory). Hopefully the Black and Yellows can figure out how to best utilize the immense talent on the roster without wasting too time on experimentation in hopes of building a strong core group..
Jean-Kevin Augustin had the goal for RBL. The Bundesliga needs a competitive and hungry Leipzig squad, not the apathetic effort that Die Roten Bullen put forth on Sunday.
Predicted score: Borussia Dortmund 3, RB Leipzig 2
Bayern Munich 3, Hoffenheim 1: Bayern received a season-opening goal from Thomas Muller and additional tallies from Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben to pace its offense. Muller also had an assist and looked tremendous in his familiar role behind Lewandowski. The big story for Bayern, however, was the injury to Kingsley Coman. Coman suffered an ankle injury which could keep him out several months. They game became increasingly physical, and frankly, referee Bastian Dankert lost control. For Hoffenheim, which entered the contest banged up (Andrej Kramaric did not play and Florian Grillitsch just returned to the squad after being down with an injury), Adam Szalai out-worked Javi Martinez and Jerome Boateng to provide Die Kraichgauer with their only goal. When Hoffenheim is at full strength, it will be among the league's top squads, but until then, it looks like Julian Nagelsmann will be happy to have his boys try and scrap their way to victory.
Predicted score: Bayern 4, Hoffenheim 0 (W)
Wolfsburg 2, Schalke 04 1: In what was one of the upsets of the weekend, the Wolves upended Domenico Tedesco's team behind a 33rd minute goal from John Brooks and an extra time tally by Daniel Ginczek. Certainly Die Königsblauen did not anticipate this kind of fight from Wolfsburg, but the game should serve as a wake-up call for Schalke, who will certainly be playing with a bigger target on its back this season after a highly successful 2017-2018 campaign. Perhaps the rumored addition of Sebastian Rudy will be the spark to wake Schalke up. The Bayern player is allegedly ready to sign a deal to complete a transfer this week. Rudy would be a superb fit for Schalke and would get the field time in Gelsenkirchen that isn't available in Munich.
Predicted score: Schalke 04 3, Wolfsburg 1 (L)
Hannover 96 1, Werder Bremen 1: In a game that figured to be a tight battle of rugged teams, the fixture lived up to its billing. Hendrik Weydandt's 76th minute goal looked as if might put Hannover over the top in this one, but Werder Bremen's Theodor Gebre Selassie answered back in the 85th minute to not the game. I am excited about the prospects of both squads this season. I am not saying that either is quite ready for a top six finish, but they both have tough core groups of players and should have moments this season where they make like hard on the league bluebloods.
Predicted score: Hannover 06 2, Werder Bremen 2 (W)
Hertha Berlin 1, FC Nürnberg 0: 34-year old Vedad Ibisevic put home what would be the game winner for Hertha Berlin as Die Alte Dame hung on to outlast the newly promoted Nurnberg side. For Nurnberg, it was a horrendous start, but it will have to be better than it was if the club wants to stay in the top division.
Predicted score: Hertha Berlin 2, FC Nürnberg 1 (W)
Eintracht Frankfurt 2, SC Freiburg 0: Nicolai Muller and Sebastian Haller (who I both saw up close when Die Adler played a friendly against the Philadelphia Union this summer) each tallied a goal as Eintracht Frankfurt shook off its abysmal DFB-Pokal showing to shut down a lackluster SC Freiburg side. For Eintracht Frankfurt, it was exactly the kind of start needed to shake off the cobwebs sustained in consecutive losses in the DFL-Supercup and DFB-Pokal. Freiburg cannot let any malaise set in. Christian Streich's side will need to regroup quickly to ensure the squad does not dig itself too big of a hole early in the season.
Predicted score: Eintracht Frankfurt 2, SC Freiburg 1 (W)
FC Augsburg 2, Fortuna Düsseldorf 1: Augsburg's Martin Hinteregger and Andre Hahn provided the scoring to ensure that the Fuggerstädter started the season off on the right foot. Augsburg is another one of those teams that should gear a little bit of excitement. They have talent and with any amount of consistency they put can together, FCA should compete with that second-tier group of teams for a spot safely away from relegation. Fortuna's return to the Bundesliga may have been spoiled, but Benito Raman at least got them on the scoreboard in the club's first game back in the Bundesliga.
Predicted score: FC Augsburg 3, Fortuna Düsseldorf 1 (W)
Borussia Monchengladbach 2, Bayer Leverkusen 0: Behind a penalty from Jonas Hofmann in the 55th minute and another goal by Fabian Johnson just three minutes later, Die Folen stifled Bayern Leverkusen for a 2-0 win. M'Gladbach stunted the high-powered Die Werkself offense in what was a seriously disappointing effort for Leverkusen. With so much firepower offensively, Bayer Leverkusen cannot afford to have poor showings like this one. This should be the season that Leverkusen is able to put up a challenge to Bayern, but that looks like a long shot based on this effort. For M'Gladbach, it was actually typical of their inconsistency from week to week last season. At points last year, the Foals looked like they were capable of locking down a top-six spot, but always found a way to spectacularly flame out. Maybe this year will be different? (This is the precursor to me picking M'Gladbach many times this season and also being wrong many times).
Predicted score: Bayer Leverkusen 3, Borussia Monchengladbach 1 (L)
Mainz 1, VfB Stuttgart 0: Anthony Ujah came on in the 67th minute and scored in the 76th minute to help Mainz secure the minor upset over Die Schwaben. For Stuttgart, it was a completely underwhelming start to the season for what could be one of the league's most mercurial teams. Which Stuttgart will show up from week to week is anyone's guess, but they certainly have to be better than they were this weekend.
Predicted score: VfB Stuttgart 3, Mainz 1 (L)
This week's record: 6-3
This season's record: 6-3 Note: Predicted ties count as a win if correct and as a loss if there is a winner; conversely if a game is predicted to have a winner but ends in a tie, it will count as a loss.
