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Wins, losses, draws

August 16, 2009

Defending champions Wolfsburg maintained their perfect start to the Bundesliga season with a come-from-behind victory away to Cologne. Rivals Bayern Munich meanwhile had to settle for a draw at home to Werder Bremen.

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Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko (left) and Obafemi Martins celebrate scoring
Wolfsburg maintained their perfect start to the seasonImage: AP

Fabrice Ehret gave Cologne the lead four minutes into the second interval, but Edin Dzeko equalized for Wolfsburg on 74 minutes. Wolfsburg then grabbed the lead when Pierre Wome netted in his own goal a minute later.

Substitute Obafemi Martins made it 3-1 with three minutes remaining, all but destroying hopes of a late Cologne comeback.

In Munich, young German international midfielder Mesut Ozil gave Bremen the lead but Mario Gomez brought Bayern back into the contest with a goal midway through the second half.

The results see Wolfsburg move to six points from two games, two clear of Eintracht Frankfurt and SV Hamburg, who demolished Borussia Dortmund 4-1. Bayern languish in 10th spot, four points off the lead.

Mesut Oezil celebrates after his opening goal for Bremen
Ozil was Bremen's lone scorer away from homeImage: AP

Attacking soccer

The clash between Hamburg and Dortmund promised fireworks and after a frantic first 12 minutes the match seemed to be heading in that direction. Hamburg's Guy Demel tapped in after just three minutes to put the home side ahead, but Dortmund leveled just two minutes later through Nelson Valdez.

That goal was soon nullified however by quick strikes from new purchase Ze Roberto and Jose Paolo Guerrero.

Substitute Marcus Berg was on the pitch just three minutes when he scored a fourth goal for Hamburg to give Bruno Labbadia's men an unassailable three goal buffer.

Lanig out

VfB Stuttgart meanwhile bounced back from a loss to Wolfsburg last week with a 4-2 victory over neighbors SC Freiburg.

Stuttgart's Pavel Pogrebnyak (left) celebrates the opening goal with Matthieu Delpierre
Pogrebnyak (left) netted his first goal in the Stuttgart shirtImage: AP

The home side took control after a goalless first half when new Russian signing Pavel Pogrebnyak netted his first goal for Stuttgart on the 53 minute mark.

Pogrebnyak was also involved in Stuttgart's second on 65 minutes when the striker was judged to have been fouled in the area by Freiburg goalkeeper Manuel Salz. Substitute Elson slotted home the resultant spot-kick.

Mohamadou Idrissou gave Freiburg hope with a header but Elson responded almost immediately with a superb strike from outside the area 14 minutes from time to make it 3-1.

There was still time for Idrissou to reduce the deficit once again but Julian Shieber made it 4-2 a minute from time to ensure Markus Babbel's side all three points.

The win was overshadowed by the news that Stuttgart midfielder Martin Lanig will be out of action until the new year after sustaining cruciate ligament damage.

Draws galore

Hoffenheim's goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand (center) watches the ball in the net
Kiessling scored the only goal of the game to give Leverkusen victoryImage: AP

Bayer Leverkusen celebrated their return to the newly renovated BayArena following the completion of a 70-million-euro ($99 million) upgrade with a 1-0 victory over TSG Hoffenheim.

Stefan Kiessling netted the only goal of the game on 67 minutes in front of an increased capacity of 30,000 fans, poking in a pass from Erin Derdiyok.

In other action, Mainz and Hanover played out a 1-1 draw while the match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Nuremberg finished with the same scoreline.

On Sunday, Schalke 04 meet VfL Bochum and Borussia Moenchengladbach take on Hertha Berlin.

Author: dfm/dpa/AFP

Editor: Clare Atkinson