VfB Stuttgart suffered a 3-1 home-loss at the hands of 1. FC Köln on the opening Bundesliga matchday, despite a good performance. Antony Modeste, Simon Zoller and Yuya Osako scored three goals for the visiting side in the closing 15 minutes of the game, while Daniel Didavi had scored the temporary 2-1.
Köln were off to a quick start as skipper Matthias Lehmann struck a shot from 20 yards but only hit the outside of the post. At the other end, Daniel Didavi hit the woodwork just four minutes later. Stuttgart's Christian Gentner then hit the post five minutes later, capping off an intense opening 15 minutes of the game.
Hector clears on the line
The home side eventually began to take the upper hand and looked like the livelier team at the start of the second half. Köln keeper Timo Horn made a good save from Didavi six minutes after the restart. A short time later he was beaten however and would have conceded his first goal of the season, had Jonas Hector not cleared Martin Harnik's header off the line. Stuttgart were pushing for the opener but Harnik struggled to beat U21 national team keeper Horn.
Köln strike twice to take lead
The opener then fell completely against the run of play. Köln's Anthony Modeste was brought down in the area by Stuttgart keeper Przemyslaw Tyton. Modeste stepped up himself and converted for the lead. Simon Zoller doubled the visitors' advantage just two minutes later.
Stuttgart appeared stunned after having been the better side for most of the second half, but tried to fight back. They too were rewarded a penalty when goalscorer Zoller fouled Filip Kostic in the area. Didavi pulled one back from the spot but it was not enough, as Köln restored their two-goal lead in injury time through Yuya Osako.
Slick Wolfsburg see off Frankfurt
Last year's Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg got off to a successful start in the new campaign, recording a 2-1 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Ivan Perisic and Bas Dost fired the home side into a two-goal lead with less than 20 minutes played. Stefan Reinartz pulled one back shortly after, but Frankfurt were unable to complete the comeback and the Wolves took all three points.
25,000 spectators in the Volkswagen Arena witnessed a lively start to the match, and the Wolves were eager to take the initiative. Germany international Max Kruse supplied Ivan Perisic with a perfect cross and the Wolfsburg striker clinically converted his header. Four minutes later Frankfurt keeper Lukas Hradecky was beaten again, as Bas Dost doubled Wolfsburg's lead.
Reinartz goal not enough for Frankfurt
Frankfurt immediately came up with a reply in form of new signing Stefan Reinartz, who found himself completely unmarked in VfL's penalty area and directed his header home. The action on the pitch faded slightly afterwards and neither team was able to establish full control of the game. Frankfurt squandered their best chance to bag the equaliser ten minutes from the final whistle, when Joel Gerezgiher was denied by Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels.