A little over two years ago, Timo Werner played his last Bundesliga game and a lot has happened since then. For example, people almost forgot that Timo Werner was a pretty good Bundesliga striker. At that time he scored 28 goals in the season, a top rate. But people quickly forget, especially in football, and since then the main thing that has stuck is that Timo Werner did not score 28 goals per season at Chelsea.
In addition, Werner is not just any player. In his capacity as national coach, Hansi Flick declared him the first attacker to solve the nation’s goal problem in Qatar. In this respect, a certain amount of attention was paid to him when he came back from the start in Leipzig – and of course it helps if you score straight away. That Werner’s 1-0 only came about because Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe let the long-range shot slip under his arm, which shouldn’t happen to a Bundesliga goalkeeper? Subordinate, at least from the point of view of Timo Werner.
Overall it was an eventful game on an eventful day. First, a nice goal from Dani Olmo was conceded by the video referee, because access David Raum was handling the ball in the formation. After Werner’s goal, Florian Dietz equalized for Cologne, who is supposed to replace Anthony Modeste, who spontaneously moved to Dortmund, and who also replaced him in this scene.
However, the most controversial situation of the game happened just before the break. In the duel, Cologne’s Florian Kainz pulled hard on the jersey of Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai. After the referee’s whistle, the Hungarian raised his elbow, moved it backwards – and hit Kainz in the neck. Although the touch was only light, Kainz fell to the ground, referee Benjamin Brand decided on assault and red.
Outnumbered, Leipzig countered against the advanced Cologne via Olmo, who put the 2-1 up on Christopher Nkunku. But Steffen Baumgart’s teams are characterized by their playing culture, Cologne knew what to do with dominating the field and scored a well-deserved equalizer after a corner kick, which substitute Josko Gvardiol deflected into their own goal.
Hertha is lucky with the VAR
The other big news of the day came from Berlin. Hertha BSC is Not abandoned by all the football luck in the world. That was quite a remarkable message, because after the cup in Braunschweig and the opening defeat at Union, there were already many indications of an unfortunate season.
Lucky for Hertha: According to referee Willenborg, this contact by Berlin goalkeeper Christensen was not enough for a penalty.
(Foto: Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)
But in the 90th minute against Frankfurt, referee Frank Willenborg interpreted a fifty-fifty decision in favor of the Berliners. Goalkeeper Oliver Christensen touched Rafael Borré in the penalty area. The Colombian fell and got the penalty first – before Willenborg took it back after looking at the television screen. It stayed at 1:1. Suat Serdar put Hertha ahead, who played well in the first half, and Daichi Kamada equalized for Eintracht.
Burke scores with the last action
In Bremen it looked early on for the big Werder party. Last week’s 2-2 draw in Wolfsburg, coach Ole Werner’s team impressed with a lively performance, and after just four minutes Niclas Füllkrug headed his team into the lead against VfB Stuttgart in their first home game after they were promoted again. Sasa Kalajdzic is currently dominating the debates in Swabia.
The question is whether the Austrian will switch clubs before the end of the September 1 transfer window. From a Stuttgart point of view, one would have to say: better not. Because first Kalajdzic prepared the equalizer through Wataru Endo, then he gave Silas the 2-1 with a wonderful through ball. And when the line “Kalajdzic gives Stuttgart an away win as a farewell gift” was already finished, Bremen managed to equalize. With the last action of the game, Oliver Burke made it 2-2 for Bremen.
Hahn makes Leverkusen’s false start perfect
Bayer Leverkusen’s season is still under the impression of the first round of the cup. Leaving the third division Elversberg did not fit into the plan of the Champions League participant, who was strengthened on the transfer market. A defeat at BVB, on the other hand, is not a drama when viewed in isolation – but then, as a team with ambitions, it is all the more important to win at home against FC Augsburg. After Fredrik Jensen took the lead, Charles Aranguiz equalized before the break – but then André Hahn made it 2-1 and made Leverkusen the first crisis team of the season.
Looking the other way: Sardar Azmoun and Bayer Leverkusen start the season with three defeats in competitive games.
(Photo: Maik Hölter/Imago)
Hoffenheim turns the game against Bochum
A lively summer kick developed in Sinsheim. Simon Zoller gave VfL Bochum the lead with a brace, TSG Hoffenheim came back relatively quickly through Christoph Baumgartner and Ozan Kabak, after 23 minutes it was already 2-2. In the second half, Andrej Kramaric had the first big chance to turn the game around, but Manuel Riemann saved the not badly shot penalty. In the end it was Munas Dabbur who secured three points after a cross from Sebastian Rudy coach André Breitenreiter. Bochum could feel confirmed in what they already suspected at VfL: The season will be tough.
