Bayer's Nigerian takes Bundesliga by storm

Bayer Leverkusen kept up their perfect start to the season thanks to a 5-1 victory over newly-promoted Darmstadt at the BayArena. Widely tipped as dark horses for the Bundesliga title, Leverkusen have won their first three league games for the first time in 10 years – scoring 3+ goals in each of those matches.

Xabi Alonso’s men have looked imperious in the opening weeks of the season, and the visit of opposition who had lost all three competitive games this season made this contest look straightforward on paper. Darmstadt had other ideas though, thwarting Die Werkself in the early stages before a bizarre incident saw the visitors fall behind. In trying to recycle the ball after an attacking set-piece, Fabian Nürnberger and Fabian Holland collided with each other with serious force, leaving both players down for the count.

Leverkusen capitalised, using their fearsome speed on the break to run free. Victor Boniface was again the man on target, as he breezed past two defenders before providing an exquisite chipped finish that looked to have set the hosts on their way to a comfortable victory. That was far from the case though as the Lilies showed plenty of fighting spirit to quickly restore parity. A looping free-kick to the back post was headed across goal by Christoph Klarer, and Oscar Vilhelmsson wanted it more at the back post, driving home his close-range header to stun the expectant crowd inside the BayArena.

Alonso would doubtless have been furious with his side’s performance before the break, and his words were clearly ringing in the ears of his players upon the restart as they took less than four minutes to restore the lead. Exequiel Palacios’ effort from the edge of the box took two deflections on its way into the bottom corner. The hosts were in control now, and although he had been quiet for large periods, Florian Wirtz finally had his say on the hour mark as he created Die Werkself’s third. A beautifully placed pass into the path of Boniface set the Nigerian on his way towards goal, and Leverkusen’s rampant forward netted again – his fourth goal in two matches.

Darmstadt were caving in, and a ruthless Leverkusen attack was in no mood to relent as Jonas Hofmann netted his first league goal for the club in some style. Allowed too much space, the German international unleashed from range and found the bottom corner to put the seal on victory. Adam Hložek would open his account for the season late on, with the Darmstadt players relieved to hear the final whistle after a chastening afternoon at the BayArena.

Elsewhere, Guineian striker Serhou Guirassy scored a brace against Freiburg in a convincing 5-0 victory while Werder Bremen showed no mercy towards Mainz.

BUNDESLIGA - MATCHDAY 3

Friday

Dortmund- Heidenheim 2-2 (2-0)

/Brandt 7, Can 15 p - Dinkci 61, Kleindienst 82 p/

Saturday

Augsburg - Bochum 2-2 (1-1)

/Beljo 35, Demirovic 62 - Asano 45+3, 64/

Bayer Leverkusen - Darmstadt 5-1 (1-1)

/Boniface 21, 61, Palacios 49, Hofmann 67, Hlozek 83 - Vilhemsson 25/

Hoffenheim - Wolfsburg 3-1 (1-1)

/Brooks 45+2, Beier 60, Skov 74 - Tomas 36/

Stuttgart - Freiburg 5-0 (3-0)

/Fuhrich 8, 62, Guirassy 17, 19, Millot 75/

Werder Bremen - Mainz 4-0 (1-0)

/Ducksch 4, Stage 53, Bittencourt 82, Njinmah 84/

19.30: (9.00) M' gladbach (5.80) Bayern (1.35)

Sunday

16.30: (2.15) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.40) Koln (3.40)

18.30: (3.20) Union Berlin (3.50) RB Leipzig (2.35)

***odds are subject to change