Hanover 96 moved level with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga after a 2-0 win over Hamburg left the visitors at the bottom of the table on Sunday. First-half goals from Leon Andreasen and Artur Sobiech gave the home side a comfortable victory against a Hamburg side coached by former Hanover boss Mirko Slomka.
Hanover now join Bayern and Leverkusen on seven points while Hamburg, who have failed to score a goal in three matches, sit last on goal difference. "That criticism comes after one point in three games is clear," said Slomka. "We have to put aside the unrest coming from outside and think only of our work."
The home side got the opening goal after 13 minutes when Andreasen climbed high to power a downward header past Hamburg goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny. Hamburg almost replied instantly when Pierre-Michel Lasogga headed off target and soon afterwards Lewis Holtby volleyed wide.
The visitors were made to pay when Polish striker Sobiech doubled Hanover's lead on 24 minutes. Joselu found space in the box far too easily and he squared for Sobiech to bundle the ball over the line from a yard out.
Nicolai Mueller spurned a great opportunity for Hamburg at the start of the second half when he skewed wide and Christian Schulz then had a shot brilliantly saved by Drobny at the other end. Substitute Artjoms Rudnevs sliced over from another clear opening and headed against the bar on a miserable day for Hamburg. "The team brilliantly implemented what we talked about," said Hanover 96 boss Tayfun Korkut.
Earlier on Sunday, Augsburg got their first points of the new campaign with a 1-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. Burly Argentine attacker Raul Bobadilla got the only goal of a tight game after 49 minutes as the visitors recovered from back-to-back defeats to move off the foot of the table.
"Today a lot of things went wrong," said Eintracht coach Thomas Schaaf, who watched his side lose in the league for the first time. "We played without using our heads and we couldn't get into the game. I have no explanation for it."
Bobadilla had a goal disallowed for offside in the first period before breaking the deadlock when he followed up to tuck the ball in off the post after Eintracht forward Halil Altintop held off a challenge inside the penalty area. Tobias Werner almost made Augsburg's day even better when he hit the woodwork late on. "We stayed calm in the build up to the game and we had great faith in the team that's now been confirmed," Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl said.
On Saturday, Bayern moved level with Leverkusen with a 2-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, while Shinji Kagawa scored on his return to Borussia Dortmund as they beat Freiburg 3-1. Mario Goetze got the opening goal for Bayern in the first half before Franck Ribery came on for his first appearance of the season and made the points safe with five minutes remaining.
Kagawa scored Dortmund's second goal in their victory over Freiburg in his first game since returning to Dortmund from Manchester United. Leverkusen lost their 100 percent record when they drew 3-3 against Werder Bremen on Friday night.
Hanover 96 moved level with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga after a 2-0 win over Hamburg left the visitors at the bottom of the table on Sunday. First-half goals from Leon Andreasen and Artur Sobiech gave the home side a comfortable victory against a Hamburg side coached by former Hanover boss Mirko Slomka.
Hanover now join Bayern and Leverkusen on seven points while Hamburg, who have failed to score a goal in three matches, sit last on goal difference. "That criticism comes after one point in three games is clear," said Slomka. "We have to put aside the unrest coming from outside and think only of our work."
The home side got the opening goal after 13 minutes when Andreasen climbed high to power a downward header past Hamburg goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny. Hamburg almost replied instantly when Pierre-Michel Lasogga headed off target and soon afterwards Lewis Holtby volleyed wide.
The visitors were made to pay when Polish striker Sobiech doubled Hanover's lead on 24 minutes. Joselu found space in the box far too easily and he squared for Sobiech to bundle the ball over the line from a yard out.
Nicolai Mueller spurned a great opportunity for Hamburg at the start of the second half when he skewed wide and Christian Schulz then had a shot brilliantly saved by Drobny at the other end. Substitute Artjoms Rudnevs sliced over from another clear opening and headed against the bar on a miserable day for Hamburg. "The team brilliantly implemented what we talked about," said Hanover 96 boss Tayfun Korkut.
Earlier on Sunday, Augsburg got their first points of the new campaign with a 1-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. Burly Argentine attacker Raul Bobadilla got the only goal of a tight game after 49 minutes as the visitors recovered from back-to-back defeats to move off the foot of the table.
"Today a lot of things went wrong," said Eintracht coach Thomas Schaaf, who watched his side lose in the league for the first time. "We played without using our heads and we couldn't get into the game. I have no explanation for it."
Bobadilla had a goal disallowed for offside in the first period before breaking the deadlock when he followed up to tuck the ball in off the post after Eintracht forward Halil Altintop held off a challenge inside the penalty area. Tobias Werner almost made Augsburg's day even better when he hit the woodwork late on. "We stayed calm in the build up to the game and we had great faith in the team that's now been confirmed," Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl said.
On Saturday, Bayern moved level with Leverkusen with a 2-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, while Shinji Kagawa scored on his return to Borussia Dortmund as they beat Freiburg 3-1. Mario Goetze got the opening goal for Bayern in the first half before Franck Ribery came on for his first appearance of the season and made the points safe with five minutes remaining.
Kagawa scored Dortmund's second goal in their victory over Freiburg in his first game since returning to Dortmund from Manchester United. Leverkusen lost their 100 percent record when they drew 3-3 against Werder Bremen on Friday night.
