Bayern and Leverkusen maintain perfect starts
Saturday, August 17, 2013
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Mario Mandžukić struck again as FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen continued their perfect starts, while VfL Wolfsburg and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim also shone.
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Mario Mandžukić was on the scoresheet again as FC Bayern München beat Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 to maintain their perfect start to the season, while Bayer 04 Leverkusen followed suit and VfL Wolfsburg and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim recorded emphatic victories.
Mario Gomez's summer departure has left Mandžukić the sole recognised striker in the Bayern squad, but the Croatian international is thriving under the extra responsibility. On target in Bayern's opening-day defeat of VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, he followed that up with a fine winner at Eintracht, meeting Thomas Müller's curling centre with a stretching volley which flew past goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
The limelight, however, was stolen by events elsewhere. FC Schalke 04 were left shell-shocked at Wolfsburg, who struck four times after the interval to win 4-0; Vieirinha's angled finish after a number of stepovers the pick of the goals. Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino and Anthony Modeste each registered a double in Hoffenheim's 5-1 triumph at Hamburger SV – a Rafael van der Vaart penalty scant consolation for the hosts.
Third last season, Leverkusen are showing that they could again be a threat this term, though they needed to rely on a Daniel Schwaab own goal before the break to sink VfB Stuttgart 1-0. In the day's late game Mönchengladbach picked up their first win of the season by scoring three at home to Hannover 96 without reply.