Matchweek One Round-Up

Hello and welcome, Hallo und wilkommen to Fussball Durch Technik, your new weekly bite-sized round-up of all the action in the Bundesliga. It's been a summer of change in Germany as established superstars such as Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski have moved on to pastures new leaving it up to question how their respective former clubs will fare over the coming campaign. With that in mind, let's take a look at all the action from matchweek one of the 2022-23 Bundesliga season. 

Union Take The Spoils From Capital Derby Clash

Having already endeared himself to the Union faithful last week with a debut goal against Chemnitzer in the DFB-Pokal, USA international Jordan Pefok further increased his standing with his new club's fans by opening the scoring in the Berlin derby to set Union on their way to a 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin. After Pefok had headed home his cross to open the scoring, Sheraldo Becker doubled Union's advantage six minutes into the second half when he gratefully received Janik Haberer's through ball after 51 minutes. Three minutes later, Union dealt their cross-city rivals the knockout punch when Robin Knoche headed Christopher Trimmel's corner kick. Hertha did manage to get themselves on the scoresheet inside the final ten minutes when Dodi Lukebakio curled a smart shot beyond the grasp of Frederik Ronnow but the consolation did little to dampen Union's day. 

Jordan Pefok grabbed his first Bundesliga goal during Union Berlin's 3-1 derby win over Hertha Berlin.

Onisiwo Is The Mainz Man At The Double To Down Bochum

Austrian international striker Karim Onisiwo was the hero for Mainz as they opened their league season with a 2-1 away win over Bochum. The striker opened the scoring in the 26th minute when he headed home Edmilson Fernandes' cross but the hosts levelled affairs thirteen minutes later when Kevin Stoger's long-range effort found the top right-hand corner of the Mainz net. As the game headed for a stalemate, Onisiwo popped up with thirteen minutes remaining to head home Anton Stach's corner kick to send the away side home with the three points. 

Karim Onisiwo scored twice to help Mainz defeat Bochum

Fourmidable Freiburg Outclass Augsburg

Freiburg enjoyed a comfortable opening day visit to the SGL Arena as they came away from Augsburg 4-0 winners. After a goalless first half, Freiburg started the second period in frenetic fashion with two goals inside two minutes. First of all, Michael Gregoritsch opened the scoring when he headed Killian Sidilla's cross beyond Rafal Gikiewicz before Vincenzo Grifo thumped in a fine free-kick two minutes later to double the advantage for the visitors. Matthias Ginter put the game beyond reasonable doubt in the 61st minute when he tucked away Gregoritsch's headed pass before Ritsu Doan completed the rout with twelve minutes remaining. 

Matthias Ginter scored the first goal of his second stint with Freiburg in their 4-1 win over Augsburg

Monchengladbach Take Down Ten-Man Hoffenheim

Borussia Monchengladbach had to come from behind to send Hoffenheim packing at the Borussia-Park, eventually making their numerical advantage count following a first half red card for Stefan Posch. Despite going to ten men following the Austrian defender's dismissal for two yellow cards four minutes apart, it was the visitors who took the lead six minutes later when Robert Skov tucked away Andrej Kramaric's pass. Hoffenheim led until three minutes before the interval when Remy Bensebaini found the bottom corner of the net after connecting with Ko Itakura's header. Marcus Thuram collected Alassane Plea's clever through ball and slotted Monchengladbach ahead with ninetten minutes remaining and the victory was assured eight minutes later when Nico Elvedi netted what proved to be the winner following Plea's corner kick. 

Stefan Posch was given his marching orders during Hoffenheim's defeat away at Borussia Monchengladbach

Honours Even At Volkswagen Arena

The spoils were shared at the Volkswagen Arena as Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen both walked away with a point following a 2-2 draw. The home side drew first blood in the eleventh minutes when Lukas Nmecha fired a shot low into the bottom left-hand corner after collecting Patrick Wimmer's through ball. Bremen recovered from the early setback and stormed into the lead themselves with a two goal salvo which saw them find the net twice in two minutes. Firstly, forward Niclas Fullkrug found the net with a strike from outside the box before Leonardo Bittencourt headed the visitors into the lead. With time ticking down, French midfielder Josuha Guilavogui slammed home an equaliser following a corner kick with just six minutes remaining to ensure the points were shared. 

Josuha Guilavogui grabbed a late equaliser to rescue a point for Wolfsburg against Werder Bremen

Post-Haaland Era Starts With Win For Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund needed just nine minutes to get their season up and running following the departure of star striker Erling Haaland to Manchester City although their 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park was slightly overshadowed by an injury sustained by new signing Karim Adeyemi. New signing Adeyemi thought he'd done enough to give his new side the lead when he swept Youssoufa Moukoku's pass goalwards only to see his effort blocked on the line by a Leverkusen defender although club captain Marco Reus was on hand to bundle the rebound home. Adeyemi's Bundesliga debut would end prematurely when he had to leave the field through injury after 23 minutes. In the game's dying minutes Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was sent off following a lengthy VAR review for handling the ball outside the penalty area. 

Marco Reus grabbed the winner as Borussia Dortmund got their campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen

That's Saturday's action looked at so now let's cast our eyes over the rest of the weekend's action. 

Mane Enjoys Dream Debut As Bayern Hit Frankfurt For Six

Defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich opened the 2022-23 season in emphatic style on Friday night as they demolished Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1. It took the champions just five minutes to open their account for the campaign when Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring with a fine free-kick before being joined on the scoresheet by Frenchman Benjamin Pavard just five minutes later. Mane notched the first goal of his Bundesliga career following his summer move from Liverpool on the stroke of the half-hour mark before Jamal Musiala grabbed the first of his two of the evening while Serge Gnabry's goal three minutes before the break ensured Bayern went in at the interval 5-0 up. Randal Kolo Muani capitalised on a rare error from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to grab a consolation goal after 64 minutes but all that was left for Bayern to do was complete the rout as Musiala scored his second of the evening with seven minutes remaining. 

Jamal Musiala scored twice as Bayern Munich got the 22-23 season off to an emphatic start

Stuttgart And Leipzig Share The Points

Honours ended even at the Mercedes-Benz Arena as Stuttgart and RB Leipzig played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the Sunday afternoon sunshine. The visitors broke the deadlock with an early strike when Christopher Nkunku chased Dani Olmo's clever flicked pass before slotting the ball beyond Florian Muller. Parity was restored just after the half-hour mark when Naouirou Ahamada combined in a smart give and go with Sasa Kalajdzic before curling a neat effort past Peter Gulasci to grab his first senior professional goal. Both sides had chances to further their afternoons with Konstantinos Mavropanos striking the post in first half stoppage time for the home side while Leipzig saw chances thwarted by an impressive goalkeeping showing from Muller. 

Naouirou Ahamada notched his first senior goal with the equaliser in Sunday's drawn clash with RB Leipzig

Schalke Shaken Up By Koln

In a game that had been dominated by the news of Anthony Modeste's seemingly imminent move to Borussia Dortmund, 1.FC Koln prevented a dream return to the top flight for their visitors as they swept Schalke aside at the RheinEnergie Stadion. After the away side had an early goal overturned by VAR, the video assistant was called into action once again and instructed match referee Robert Schroder to award Schalke midfleider Dominick Drexler a straight red card for a foul on Koln's Jonas Hector. The home side had to wait until the second half to make full use of their numerical advantage but the breakthrough came four minutes into the second stanza when Luca Killian stabbed home from close range. After the VAR had ruled against Schalke in the first half, the visitors were again on the receiving end of an overturned decision when Koln's Florian Kainz was adjudged not to have fouled Alex Schwolow in the build up to his side's second goal. While the away team did pull a goal back in the 75th minute when Marius Bulter headed home Thomas Ouwejan's sumptuous cross, the day belonged to Koln who made absolutely certain of their victory five minutes later when the outstanding Dejan Ljubicic met with Jan Thielmann's cross to head in the third goal. 

Dejan Ljubicic scored Koln's third goal to cap a fine personal performance in the win over Schalke

Player Of The Week

For his two goal salvo that gave his side the victory over Bochum, this week's Fussball Durch Technik POTW is Mainz striker Karim Onisiwo. 

This Week's Fixtures

Friday August 12th (1930 GMT)

Freiburg vs Borussia Dortmund

Saturday August 13th (1430 GMT unless stated)

Bayer Leverkusen vs Augsburg

RB Leipzig vs Koln

Hoffenheim vs Bochum

Hertha Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt

Werder Bremen vs Stuttgart

Schalke vs Borussia Monchengladbach (1730)

Sunday August 14th

Mainz vs Union Berlin (1430)

Bayern Munich vs Wolfsburg (1630)

That's your lot for this week's Fussball Durch Technik, We'll be back next week with another bite-sized round-up of all the Bundesliga action. In the meantime, drop us a follow on Twitter @FussballDT for more German football chatter. 

Until then, Auf Weidersehen