Bayer 04 Leverkusen – VfB Stuttgart 1:4 (0:4)
VfB Stuttgart inflicted a home defeat on former champions Bayer Leverkusen. The Swabians won 4-1 and, fifth in the table, drew level with fourth-placed Leverkusen with 29 points from 16 games.
In particular, double goalscorer Jamie Leweling (7th minute/45th) was almost unstoppable by the Leverkusen defense. The remaining goals in Stuttgart’s first win in almost eight years against Bayer 04 were scored by Maximilian Mittelstädt (29’/foul penalty) and Deniz Undav (45’+2). For Leverkusen, only Alejandro Grimaldo was able to reduce the deficit with a penalty kick in the 66th minute.
1. FC Union Berlin – 1. FSV Mainz 05 2:2 (0:1)
1. FSV Mainz 05 previously lost much-needed points in the relegation battle when ex-Union coach Urs Fischer returned to Berlin. At Union Berlin, Mainz couldn’t get past a 2-2 (1-0) score despite being twice ahead.
Under Fischer, who took over the office at the beginning of December Mainz but still undefeated. The Berliners are still in the solid midfield, but missed the chance to significantly reduce the gap to the international places.
Mainz took the lead through national player Nadiem Amiri (30th) and ex-Union player Benedict Hollerbach (69th), Jeong Woo-yeong (77th) and Marin Ljubičić (86th) scored for Union after the break.
1. FC Heidenheim – 1. FC Cologne 2:2 (2:1)
1. FC Köln continued their negative streak in the new year. The promoted team managed to win 2-2 (1-2) against relegation-threatened 1. FC Heidenheim after falling behind twice, but they have now been waiting for a win for seven league games.
Eric Martel (18th) and Saïd El Mala (48th), with his fourth joker goal of the season, scored for Cologne, who are still five points ahead of the direct relegation zone. Marvin Pieringer (15th) with a dream goal and Julian Niehues (26th) had put Heidenheim in the lead twice, especially in the first half.
FC coach Lukas Kwasniok had chosen two debutants at the start of the year. New signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who joined Cologne from Manchester City just a few days ago, started in central defense, and the 18-year-old young striker Fynn Schenten also made his first Bundesliga appearance. El Mala initially just sat on the bench.
SC Freiburg – Hamburger SV 2:1 (0:0)
Despite being outnumbered, Hamburger SV lost 1:2 (0:0) at SC Freiburg at the restart of the Bundesliga. He waits with that HSV (after seven years in the 2nd Bundesliga) have been waiting for a Bundesliga away win for almost eight years.
In the first game since the surprising withdrawal of sports director Stefan Kuntz, Daniel Elfadli was shown a yellow-red card for repeated foul play (51st). Vincenzo Grifo with a penalty kick (53′) and substitute Igor Matanović (83′) scored for Freiburg, who are unbeaten at home in eleven competitive games. HSV remains the only team without a win on their opponents this season. Luka Vušković (48th) scored for HSV with a header.
“It’s about keeping HSV in the first league,” coach Merlin Polzin said before the game. “It doesn’t really matter to me where we get the points.”
Games in Bremen and Hamburg postponed
The games between SV Werder Bremen and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim as well as FC St. Pauli and RB Leipzig were postponed due to the extreme winter weather in Bremen and Hamburg. New game dates have not yet been set.
