Defeated Leipzig lose more ground on Bayern Munich

RB Leipzig continued to lose ground on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with a 4-3 defeat at lowly Hoffenheim yesterday, while Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen registered big wins.
Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalise three times and took the lead with four minutes remaining in a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer. Equal on points with Bayern just three matchdays ago, Leipzig have since lost two and drawn one. They now sit eight points behind the league leaders after falling to third third as a result of Eintracht Frankfurt’s home win over Werder Bremen in the late game.
Hoffenheim’s Adam Hlozek collected a brace while Tom Bischof scored a clever free-kick and Jacob Bruun Larsen was responsible for the winner in the 86th minute. Leipzig’s efforts came through Willi Orban, Antonio Nusa and an own goal from Hoffenheim’s Stanley N’Soki. The team from eastern Germany had only conceded five goals in the league season before yesterday’s defeat.
Mario Goetze, the hero of Germany’s 2014 World Cup win, scored in his 100th Frankfurt game as his side beat Bremen 1-0 to continue their impressive league form this season.
Goetze’s 45th-minute goal, blasted in from near the penalty spot, was set up by a a delicate pass from French striker Hugo Ekitike, his sixth assist of the league campaign.
Dortmund beat Freiburg 4-0 thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens, while the visitors finished with nine men. Under fire and sitting outside the European spots coming into the match, Dortmund’s one saving grace this league campaign has been their home form, with five wins from five.
Defending champions Leverkusen came from two goals down to win 5-2 at home against Heidenheim thanks to a hat-trick from Patrik Schick. Heidenheim, who host Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday, were two goals up within 21 minutes, with Niklas Dorsch and Mathias Honsak taking advantage of some sleepy defending.
Argentine World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios pulled one back on the half-hour mark before Schick scored three unanswered goals to wrestle back control of the match, before Granit Xhaka added a fifth.
Last season’s runners-up Stuttgart scored two second-half goals through Chris Fuehrich and Justin Diehl to win 2-0 at home over bottom club Bochum, who have just two points from 11 games this season.
Elsewhere, Ridle Baku scored the only goal as Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0 at home.