Bundesliga Match Day 9: Weekend Wrap-Up
This was the Bayer Leverkusen that we've been waiting for.
Die Werkself pounded Werder Bremen 6-2 behind goals from five different players. Kai Havertz had a brace and was joined by Kevin Volland, Julian Brandt, Karim Bellarabi, and Aleksandar Dragovic on the scoresheet. Leverkusen has possessed this type of offensive potential all season, but it has rarely been seen on the field, which makes us sad.
A rejuvenated Leverkusen side would make the Bundesliga race a whole lot more interesting. There is just so much talent and scoring potential on the field at any given moment for Die Werkself that the squad should be rounding into form and ready to make a run at the Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
Werder Bremen received goals from Claudio Pizzaro, who has now scored in 19 consecutive seasons (!?!) and Yuya Osako, but it was clearly not enough to keep up with Leverkusen on this day.
Prediction: Werder Bremen 2, Bayer Leverkusen 2 (L)
SC Freiburg 3, Borussia Monchengladbach 1: Nils Petersen put home a PK in the game's first minute, which gave an early sign that it was just going to be that kind of game for Die Fohlen. Thorgan Hazard equalized for Breisgau-Brasiliane with a PK of his own in the game's 20th minute, but Freiburg's Gian-Luca Waldschmidt and Lucas Holer each scored to give Breisgau-Brasiliane the upset victory.
It's not as if Die Fohlen played horribly (59% possession); they just simply got beat. They kept great pressure on Freiburg, but ultimately couldn't create enough good chances close enough to goalkeeper Breisgau-Brasiliane Alexander Schwolow to do any major damage to Freiburg.
At least I got the score right...
Prediction: Borussia Monchengladbach 3, SC Freiburg 1 (L)
Schalke 0, RB Leipzig 0: Schalke is fighting and clawing its way up the table, but it can't score...like, at all. Leipzig, meanwhile, continues to shows signs that it is just not quite ready for prime time yet. The leap to Bundesliga contention has never really happened yet for Die Roten Bullen. Both of these teams should be better than they are, but this was a fitting result.
Prediction: Schalke 1, RB Leipzig 1 (W)
Hertha Berlin 2, Borussia Dortmund 2: Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho had a brace, while Die Alte Dame's Saloman Kalou also scored twice to pace the squads. Kalou's extra time goal secured the draw for Hertha Berlin, but it also signified a lost opportunity for BVB. With Bayern trailing by only two points, the clash between Die Roten and Dortmund on November 10th could have significant meaning.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 3, Hertha Berlin 2 (L)
Wolfsburg 3, Fortuna Düsseldorf 0: The Wolves bounced back from a defeat to Bayern last week by throttling the F95 behind goals from Wout Weghorst (PK), Josip Brekalo, and Daniel Ginczek. Düsseldorf is struggling in a big way right now and possibly falling to a spot from which it cannot recover.
Prediction: Wolfsburg 2, Fortuna Düsseldorf 1 (W)
FC Augsburg 2, Hannover 96 1: Rani Khedira and Alfred Finnbogason staked Augsburg to a lead that it would not relinquish on its way to securing another quality win. Die Fuggerstädter has decent potential, is fun to watch, and is slowly inching toward to competition for a top six spot.
Togo's Ihlas Bebou had the lone goal for Hannover, which, as always, played tough. There is always a chance for Hannover. They rarely get blasted and have a group of fierce competitors, so I would not expect them to continue to find themselves in the RELEGATION DANGER ZONE much longer.
Prediction: FC Augsburg 1, Hannover 96 1 (W)
Bayern Munich 2, Mainz 1: Behind goals from Leon Goretzka and Thiago Alcantara, Bayern pushed back Mainz in a pretty convincing effort. Aside of one defensive lapse that resulted in a goal from Jean-Paul Boetius, Bayern was thoroughly dominant.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3, Mainz 0 (W)
Hoffenheim 4, VfB Stuttgart 0: Uh, Die Schwaben is a mess. I fear that Stuttgart is inching toward the same point of no return that FC Koln found itself in last season during the first half. Hoffenheim, meanwhile, was efficient enough to ensure it did not a good opportunity to climb the table a bit pass by. Using goals from Joshua Brenet and Joelinton, along with a brace from Ishak Belfodil, Die Kraichgauer scored four goals in a 12 minute stretch of the second half to decimate Stuttgart.
Prediction: Hoffenheim 2, VfB Stuttgart 1 (W)
Eintracht Frankfurt 1, FC Nürnberg 1: One week after showing off a devastating offensive prowess, Die Adler was held to just a single goal by one of the league's struggling squads. Slovakian Adam Zrelak gave Der Club a 1-0 lead in the 78th minute and only an extra time goal from Sebastian Haller saved Eintracht from a horrific loss. Inconsistency has plagued Die Adler and it reared its ugly head once again. Eintracht Frankfurt can be a very fun, exciting, and frustrating team to keep tabs on, but it needs to figure out a way to "get up" for every game.
Prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 3 FC Nürnberg 1 (L)
Weekly record: 5-4
Season record: 36-45
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.
