Bayern Munich’s striker Thomas Mueller celebrates after scoring the first goal for Munich during the Bundesliga match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Munich, southern Germany yesterday.
DPA/Berlin
Champions Bayern Munich defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 thanks to a Thomas Mueller brace and Arjen Robben strike yesterday to return to the top of the Bundesliga while VfB Stuttgart are in early crisis after three straight defeats.
Mueller was making his 200th league appearance for Bayern and celebrated in style with his 75th and 76th goals. In the 26th minute he had a simple finish to guide in Douglas Costa’s cross and converted a penalty on the hour.
Both sides hit the bar and Leverkusen’s Stefan Kiessling could have levelled when he had a shot saved by Manuel Neuer and the rebound cleared from the line.
Another penalty in the 70th minute gave Mueller the chance of a hat-trick but newly appointed Netherlands captain Robben was given the responsibility of making it 3-0.
“I’m a team player,” Mueller told Sky afterwards. “It is a shark tank at Bayern. So you have to throw the sharks a fish every now and then,” he joked.
Earlier Stuttgart were beaten 4-1 at home by Eintracht Frankfurt to remain without a point.
An own goal from Adam Hlousek put Frankfurt in front at Stuttgart and though Daniel Didavi equalized, Luc Castaignos restored the lead with his first goal for Frankfurt. Haris Seferovic’s penalty sealed the win 20 minutes from time and Castaignos added a late fourth.
Cologne scored twice in the last 20 minutes to defeat 10-man Hamburg 2-1, Mainz crushed Hanover 3-0 and newly promoted Ingolstadt won 1-0 at Augsburg. Darmstadt drew for the third time in succession, 0-0 with Hoffenheim.
Bayern started the game with David Alaba and Xabi Alonso in the centre of the defence as Jerome Boateng was suspended and Medhi Benatia injured.
The match took some time to settle before Bayern opened the scoring with their first chance of the contest. A fine long ball from Alonso found Costa on the left flank and his cross was perfect for the onrushing Mueller.
Minutes later Costa hit the bar from Arjen Robben’s cross but Leverkusen were also denied by the woodwork when Hakan Calhanoglu almost beat Neuer with a free kick.
After the interval Neuer denied Kiessling one-on-one and then had Alaba to thank for clearing from the line as the striker got his head to the rebound.
But in the 60th minute Roberto Hilbert pushed ex-Leverkusen player Arturo Vidal at a set piece and the referee pointed to the spot. Mueller made no mistake from 12 yards by sending Bernd Leno the wrong way.
The unfortunate Hilbert conceded another penalty for handball 10 minutes later and again Leno was helpless as Robben found the bottom corner.
“We must accept were outplayed today,” Leverkusen midfielder Christoph Kramer said. “You have no chance when Bayern are that good.”
Stuttgart required a late surge to retain their top flight status last season but have started this campaign under new coach Alexander Zorniger with three consecutive defeats to sit 17th. “If you have zero points after three games and ten goals conceded, then that says something clearly,” Stuttgart sport director Robin Dutt said. “I believe we cannot be satisfied with the overall team performance.”
Hlousek was unfortunately positioned to turn a cross into his own net in the 11th minute but Didavi, from an offside position, levelled in the 30th.
Frankfurt had a let-off when Martin Harnik fired over from almost on the line and capitalized in the 42nd minute with Seferovic breaking on the left and giving Castaignos an easy finish.
Stuttgart tried to rally but when Przemyslaw Tyton conceded his second penalty in three games by bringing down Castaignos to see red, Seferovic scored from the spot to secure victory before Castaignos completed his brace in the dying seconds.
Lewis Holtby opened the scoring for Hamburg in Cologne but Philipp Hosiner equalised for the hosts and when Anthony Modeste won a penalty from Emir Spahic - despite seemingly tripping over the ball - the game had been turned.
Spahic was sent off and Modeste scored past back-up keeper Andreas Hirzel who had replaced the injured Rene Adler in the first half.
“That was a blatant mistake,” Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia said. “We have been robbed of at least one point.”
Cologne’s coach Peter Stoeger admitted he did not think the penalty should have been given either.
Mainz went fifth with a convincing 3-0 win over Hanover, who have yet to win. Yoshinori Muto scored a first half double Yunus Malli completed the rout early in the second period.
Ingolstadt maintained their 100 per cent away record to move seventh with a narrow win at Augsburg due to Mathew Leckie’s solitary goal. Augsburg, seeking a first win, are 14th.
Darmstadt, the other newly promoted side, had a goalless draw with Hoffenheim. They are 11th in the middle of the pack while Hoffenheim are 13th after their first point of the year.
Meanwhile Borussia Dortmund can reclaim top spot, on goal difference with a two-goal home win over Hertha Berlin.
