By
SABC Sport
13th September 2026
Freiburg continue perfect start
Top of the table SC Freiburg hammered a hapless Borussia Monchengladbach 5-0 at the Europa-Park Stadion to cement their dominant start to the season.
The home side started the match brightly forcing Monchengladbach into making unnecessary fouls with Kevin Diks and Tim Kleindienst getting yellow cards within the first 15 minutes of the match.
Freiburg took the lead in the 23rd minute through a powerful Yannick Engelhardt header before forward Igor Matanovic doubled the scoreline with a well taken long range strike just six minutes later.
The visitors failed to find a response in the first half and found themselves a man down in the seventh minute of the second half ager Kleindienst was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
In the 77th minute Matanovic rose highest to score with a powerful header, extending Freiburg's lead before Engelhardt also completed his brace just two minutes later with another long-range strike.
Maximillian Eggestein put the icing on the cake with a neat finish inside the box to secure a 5-0 victory and a third consecutive win of the new season for Freiburg, while Monchengladbach sit bottom of the table.
Nmecha late double helps Dortmund sink Paderborn
Borussia Dortmund defeated Paderborn 3-0 at the Signal Iduna Park to maintain second spot on the league table.
The BVB took a fifth minute lead through in form winger Fabio Silva's who latched onto a long ball from Serhou Guirassy, outsprinting the defence before rounding goalkeeper Nahuel Noll before slotting in the opener.
The visitors attempted to equalize with Curda coming closest after firing a promising strike into the side netting in the 18th minute before Dortmund saw two Guirassy efforts ruled out by VAR before half time.
Niko Kovak's side dominated the second half from the onset but could not convert their chances with Paderborn shot-stopper Noll forced to make two good saves from Guirassy.
Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha eased the nerves of the home side with a solid finish after good interplay with fellow substitute Maxi Beier in the 80th minute.
Marcel Sabitzer hit the crossbar four minutes later before Nmecha scored a stunning bicycle kick from a Sabitzer cross to give his side a 3-0 win.
"It wasn't easy for the team because Paderborn also played really well, but we didn't allow anything," said Dortmund manager Niko Kovac.
"In the second half, the game opened up a bit, partly because the opponent's energy started to wane. We had enough good chances to score more goals I was pleased with the team's performance over the full 90 minutes.
"You can't expect to dominate and put the game out of reach in the first half."
The result sees 15th placed Paderborn remain winless this season.
Schick rescues point for Leverkusen at Augsburg
Augsburg were held to a 2-2 draw by Bayer Leverkusen at the WWK Arena after a late Patrick Schick equalizer for the visitors.
Leverkusen opened the scoring in the 18th minute after Christian Kofane converted a low shot after being set up by Edmond Tapsoba.
The visitors controlled the first half but could not find a second goal before the break and were duly punished just five minutes into the second half when Michael Gregoritsch equalized with a neat finish following a Hannes Behrens assist.
In the 55th minute Gregoritsch completed the turnaround for Augsburg, putting a neat header past Mark Flekken following a Fabian Rieder corner to take a 2-1 lead.
Leverkusen made a number of changes as they looked to equalize but had to wait until the 89th minute for substitute Patrick Schick to score a well taken goal from 20 meters out.
The result sees Leverkusen move to sixth on the table while Augsburg move to third.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Hoffenheim sealed a 2-1 win over VfB Stuttgart at the PreZero Arena thanks to a clinical brace from Adam Hlozek either side of Maximilian Mittelstadt second half equalizer.
Hoffenheim now move up to 13th on the table while Stuttgart slip to 14th.
Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt completed an impressive 3-1 victory away to Mainz at the Mewa Arena following a brace from Can Uzun and a clinical Jonathan Burkardt strike just after Nadiem Amiri had missed a chance to equalize, missing a penalty.
The home side did get a consolation goal in the 89th minute through Philip Tietz as the visitors claimed the points to move up to eighth position on the table while Mainz slip to seventh.
At the RheinEnergieStadion FC Koln and Werder Bremen played to a 1-1 draw, with Nicolas Fullkrug's 69th minute equalizer cancelling out Linton Maina's clinical early strike in the first half.
Koln move up to 11th on the table while Bremen remains ninth.
