Borussia Dortmund players celebrate a goal against Bayer Leverkusen during their Bundesliga match in Dortmund.
DPA/Berlin
Borussia Dortmund continued their flying start to the season after a 3-0 stroll over Bayer Leverkusen sent them back to the top of the Bundesliga with maximum points yesterday.
In complete contrast, VfB Stuttgart suffered a fifth defeat out of five as Leroy Sane sealed a 1-0 away win for Schalke while Augsburg won the battle of the strugglers in a 2-0 home success over Hanover.
Dortmund, who began last season all over the place, have been on fire under new coach Thomas Tuchel and have won 11 games out of 11 in all competitions.
Goals from Jonas Hofmann and Shinji Kagawa and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty downed a weak Leverkusen and put the hosts above Bayern Munich on goal difference, with both sides having taken 15 points from 15 in the Bundesliga this term.
Champions Bayern won 3-0 at Darmstadt on Saturday but Dortmund made sure they kept pace with Henrikh Mkhitaryan showing their threat by going close early on.
The home fans, creating their usual electric atmosphere in the cavernous Westfalenstadion, did not have to wait long though for the breakthrough.
Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno charged out of his goal following a delightful ball over the top from Kagawa but Hofmann got there first to coolly guide the ball into an unguarded net after 19 minutes.
“It was just pure instinct, I saw Bernd coming out and thought I could get there first,” Hofmann said.
“The game was a bit hectic but we merited the win. The fans are right behind us, we’ll leave them to dream.”
Javier Hernandez had a near identical chance at the other end immediately afterwards but failed to level for the 13th-placed side, who have now lost three Bundesliga games in a row without scoring despite their successes in the Champions League.
A brighter Dortmund were always in command and although the pace lessened in the second half, Japan midfielder Kagawa made the game safe when he poked in after a fine team move following poor Leverkusen defending.
Aubameyang added the third on 74 minutes after Wendell brought down Matthias Ginter.
Schalke’s victory, which moved them up to fourth, was slightly unfair on second-bottom Stuttgart who had dominated for long spells but again failed to take advantage despite numerous chances.
Sane struck after 53 minutes, showing good skill in the box to create space before letting fly with an unstoppable shot.
The goal came just two minutes after the winger had been shown a yellow card for diving in the area.
Former champions Stuttgart, who only avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last term, have never before started the season with three home defeats.
“We should never have lost this game,” Stuttgart coach Alexander Zorniger said as he looked ahead to Wednesday’s league trip to Hanover. “We have two days to find a solution.”
Zorniger had gone into the game in a positive mood given they have at least been making chances this season and had beaten Schalke more than any other Bundesliga side.
