1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Sunday's reports from matchday three

Stefan BienkowskiSeptember 18, 2016

In an unspectacular game, Mitchell Weiser made sure Hertha took all three points. Earlier in the day, incisive late goals from Yunus Malli and Yoshinori Muto sealed the victory for Mainz.

Fußball Bundesliga Hertha BSC - FC Schalke 04
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/B. Streubel

Hertha 2-0 Schalke
(Weiser 64', Stocker 74')

Schalke's rebirth was put on hold for another week as Markus Weinzierl's team returned to underwhelming football. In a game largely lacking in chances or inspiration, Mitchell Weiser delivered a brilliant individual performance to leave Hertha level on points with their next opponents - Bayern Munich.

The opening half an hour was littered with poor passes, rushed clearances and a distinct lack of creativity from both sides. In his first-ever start for Schalke, Breel Embolo still looked like a player getting used to Bundesliga football and was replaced by Yevhen Konoplyanka in the second half.

Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leon Goreztka tried desperately to offer something in attack, but it was all too hopeful from Weinzierl's men. Previously a star performer for Schalke, Benjamin Stambouli endured a miserable afternoon in the capital and when his attempted dribble went wrong, Peter Pekarik pounced. The defender passed to Mitchell Weiser, who curled a gorgeous effort into the far corner to give Hertha the lead.

Ten minutes later, the game was essentially over when Weiser delivered a lovely chip behind Schalke's backline and Valentin Stocker applied the necessary finish into the far corner. While it is still early in the season and redevelopment takes time, Schalke still have zero points after three games, a record that cost former Werder Bremen head coach Viktor Skripnik his job.

Mainz finally made sure of three points despite conceding a late goal in a rainy AugsburgImage: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Puchner

Augsburg 1-3 Mainz
(Stafylidis 73' - Cordoba 6', Malli 75', Muto 81')

Mainz picked up their first win of the Bundesliga season on Sunday with a hard-fought 3-1 victory away to Augsburg.

The visitors took an early lead through the dependable Jhon Cordoba, when the striker found space and time to head home a corner after losing his marker on the edge of the Augsburg six-yard box.

Yet by halftime Mainz began to look as though they were taking their lead for granted, with the home side peppering their goalmouth with half chances. Although Dirk Schuster's limited side lacked the quality to break through Mainz's defense, they certainly had the incentive to give it a go.

Martin Schmidt would have undoubtedly been hoping for a return to form after a bizarre 4-4 draw with Hoffenheim on the previous matchday, which had seen his side concede three goals in the last 20 minutes of the game. Mainz also conceded a last-minute equalizer in their 1-1 draw with Saint-Etienne in the Europa League during the week and both of those results looked to be hanging over them.

With the lackadaisical nature of Mainz's performance continuing to cling to them like the heavy rain, Augsburg finally found an equalizer through a wonderful long-range shot from left-back Konstantinos Stafylidis. Instantly, it seemed as though the poor luck that had dogged Schmidt's side for much of this young season was set to continue.

Yet this time fortune favored the carnival club when Yunus Malli leaped on to the end of a smart counterattack to head home a second for the traveling side. Six minutes later Yoshinori Muto tapped home a third after a mix-up in the box to confirm all three points for Mainz.

Aside from a late red card for substitute Jose Rodriguez after a nasty tackle on Dominik Kohr, Schmidt would have not only been happy with the win but also the manner in which his side finally figured out how to deal with the late goals they continue to concede.

Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW