The confidence surrounding Borussia Dortmund proved well-placed as the Black and Yellows blew Augsburg away. But, on a day of novelties in Dortmund, more changes are necessary.
Image: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
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There were several new developments around the Westfalenstadion as the Bundesliga returned to Dortmund for a new season.
Beneath the famous Yellow Wall, creative supporters had been busy during the summer months decorating the cavernous grey concourse areas with graffiti, murals and other artwork paying tribute to their city and club.
Above it, the hardcore ultras had decided that, while the team had played "very well" last season, the atmosphere at home games wasn’t up to scratch, and so had spread themselves out across the terrace in an attempt to boost the noise levels.
There had been a marked change of approach in the dressing room and at board level, too. Dortmund have nailed their colors to the mast and made their aim for the season abundantly clear: they want to win the Bundesliga.
"We'll be top of the league by six o'clock!" one fan had shouted earlier from the back seat of a bicycle taxi outside club legend Kevin Grosskreutz's pub in the city center, full of confidence after Hertha Berlin held Bayern Munich to a draw the previous evening.
Bundesliga Matchday 1 in pictures
We go again! Bayern kick off with a draw against Hertha Berlin, while Dortmund concede early and then run riot against Augsburg. On Sunday, Union Berlin were brought back down to earth by RB Leipzig.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Union Berlin 0-4 RB Leipzig
Bundesliga newcomers Union were brought back to earth with a bang as RB Leipzig steamrolled the capital club. Just seconds after the end of an atmosphere boycott from the home fans, RB Leipzig took the lead and found themselves 3-0 up at halftime. Julian Nagelsmann's side were impressive, whereas Union looked out of place. There are 33 games to go, but the newcomers have to get to work.
Image: Reuters/A. Hilse
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 Hoffenheim
A goal from Martin Hinteregger after just 35 seconds proved enough for Frankfurt to make a winning start to the new season. Filip Kostic excelled and Frankfurt could and perhaps should have scored more, but that didn't stop them securing the three points. Alfred Schreuder's side might have grabbed an equalizer, but Ishak Belfodil's header went wide off his shoulder.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Hangst
Borussia Dortmund 5-1 Augsburg
The visitors stunned Dortmund with a first-minute opening goal, but Augsburg's hopes of just a fourth Bundesliga win at the Signal Iduna Park soon evaporated. Paco Alcacer scored two and set another up as Dortmund cruised to a big opening-day win, claiming an early lead over Bayern Munich in the process. Axel Witsel also stood out as a creative force in midfield.
Image: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
Bayern Munich 2-2 Hertha Berlin
In his league debut, Hertha coach Ante Covic led his side to a draw with Bayern Munich. The defending champions drew first blood through Robert Lewandowski, the first goal of the new season. But goals from Dodi Lukebakio (left) and Marco Grujic swung the advantage in Hertha's favor. A Lewandowski penalty leveled the score, but the dropped points on opening night were Bayern's first since 2011.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/D. Kopatsch
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Paderborn
Young star Kai Havertz started the season much as he finished the last one, scoring a classy, chipped, left-footed goal to open his 2019-20 account. But newly promoted underdogs Paderborn proved as dangerous in attack as they did last season in the second division. In the second half, Kevin Volland netted the fifth goal of the game and the Werkself held on for all three points.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Vennenbernd
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-0 Schalke
Of the two opponents, visitors Schalke are more liable to be satisfied with a point given their struggles last season. Both captains were keepers in this game, Yann Sommer for Gladbach and Schalke's 22-year-old Alexander Nübel, and neither conceded. Perhaps the best chance fell to Schalke in the first half, but Belgian Benito Raman failed to make good contact on an excellent ball over the defense.
Image: Imago Images/U. Kraft
Werder Bremen 1-3 Düsseldorf
Despite losing key contributors like Dodi Lukebakio in the summer, Fortuna Düsseldorf kicked off with an impressive away win in Bremen. The hosts had an early goal disallowed for offside and would never lead during the remainder of the game. Rouwen Hennings, Kenan Karaman and Kaan Ayhan all scored, while Bremen's Maximilian Eggestein netted a consolation goal just after the break.
Image: Imago Images/Nordphoto
Freiburg 3-0 Mainz
Believe it or not, this game was goalless after 80 minutes! Freiburg ran riot in the closing minutes to claim all three points. Substitute Lucas Höler broke the deadlock moments after coming on, Jonathan Schmid added a second, and Luka Waldschmidt finished from the spot to complete Mainz's late capitulation.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Hassenstein
Wolfsburg 2-1 Cologne
Cologne's Bundesliga return began with defeat on the road in the Autostadt. Maximilian Arnold put Wolfsburg in front early and Wout Weghorst doubled the lead in the second half to secure the points for the Wolves. The target man from the Netherlands netted 17 in 34 league appearances in 2018-19. Simon Terrode, top scorer in the second tier last season, pulled one back late for Cologne.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
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And why not? After finishing just two points behind the Bavarians last season, Dortmund moved quickly in the transfer market this summer to snap up Nico Schulz, Thorgan Hazard, Julian Brandt and Mats Hummels – the latter making a controversial return to BVB from Bayern Munich to add some much-needed experience at the back.
"Whatever the sporting merits of the transfer, it won't surprise anyone to learn that we could have done without him coming back," wrote the ultras, as implacable as ever, in their matchday flyer.
They haven't forgiven the former captain for the manner of his departure three years ago, but others apparently have, and Hummels' name was cheered just as loudly as any other player's when the Dortmund line-up — unchanged from last week's 2-0 cup win over KFC Uerdingen — was read out.
Such was the mood in Dortmund: the title charge begins here. But for all the novelties and newfound confidence, some things never change. Overcast weather in the Ruhrgebiet, for one thing. Disastrous Dortmund defending, for another. It cost them a nine-point lead and a first league title since 2012 last season, and it took just 31 seconds to cost them again here. DW had barely settled down on the main stand when Ruben Vargas found Carlos Gruezo in yards of space inexplicably vacated by Lukasz Piszczek and Manuel Akanji. The Ecuadorian squared and Florian Niederlechner finished.
Augsburg shocked the Dortmund crowd within around 30 seconds, but the remainder of the match was one-way trafficImage: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
It wasn't the first time Dortmund had conceded quickly on the opening day. Twelve months ago, Jean-Kevin Augustin gave RB Leipzig the lead here inside the opening minute. Five years ago in 2014, it took Karim Bellarabi just nine seconds to put Bayer Leverkusen ahead. Some things never change.
Fortunately, BVB have invested heavily in what was already a formidable forward line and, within three minutes, they were level. Jadon Sancho, the league's top provider last season, continued where he left off by feeding Marco Reus whose cut-back was tapped home by Paco Alcacer.
Paco Alcacer was his typically effective self, seeing rather little of the ball yet scoring two and setting another upImage: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
Sancho was involved again just after half-time, arrowing home from a tight angle after Axel Witsel's cross had somehow evaded every Augsburg player in the box to put Dortmund ahead. Eight minutes later, Reus and Alcacer had made it 4-1 as wave after wave of yellow shirts flooded relentlessly towards the yellow wall. Here again, some things never change.
But despite the comprehensive score line, Michael Zorc had his feet firmly on the floor post-match. "It was important that we equalized quickly," said the sporting director, focusing tellingly on the opening three minutes and ignoring the subsequent goal fest. "All in all, it's a good start. Nothing more."
Jadon Sancho wasn't the only Dortmund scorer to benefit from a stylish Axel Witsel assistImage: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
Zorc was right not to get carried away. He — and everybody else — knows how dangerous Dortmund are offensively; 81 Bundesliga goals last term are testament to that. And, with respect, it probably won't be the only time Augsburg are on the receiving end of a hiding this season. The issues are at the other end and there will be far tougher tests to come.
Still, by the time debutant Julian Brandt made it five in the closing stages, that didn’t seem to matter. The fan on the three-seated bicycle had already been proven correct: Borussia Dortmund were top of the league by six o'clock.
But if they want to be stay there in May, they know a few more things still have to change.
