Wolfsburg, Dortmund lose as Leipzig thrash Hertha

Former leaders Wolfsburg lost for the first time in the Bundesliga this season when Hoffenheim hit back for a 3-1 home win on Saturday, with Borussia Dortmund also falling to defeat.

Dortmund, without the injured Erling Haaland, could have moved second but sit fourth after losing 1-0 at coach Marco Rose's ex-side Borussia Moenchengladbach having been reduced to 10 men.

Third-placed Wolfsburg are now three points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, who won 3-1 at promoted Greuther Fuerth on Friday despite also having a man sent off.

"We are not Bayern Munich, who can crush opponents every week," Wolfsburg midfielder Max Arnold told Sky. "This is a learning process for us. We have good chances in the coming weeks to improve."

Bayer Leverkusen are second, level with the Wolves, following a 1-0 win over Mainz thanks to Florian Wirtz's second-half goal.

Last term's runners-up Leipzig recorded just their second league win of the campaign with Christopher Nkunku scoring twice in a 6-0 home hammering of Hertha Berlin.

Cologne drew 1-1 at misfiring Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin beat Arminia Bielefeld 1-0 late on.

Wolfsburg, who dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Frankfurt last weekend, started well at Hoffenheim with Germany full back Ridle Baku curling in a superb effort from 20 metres.

But on the stroke of half-time, the home side equalized when perennial top-scorer Andrej Kramaric broke his duck for the league season.

The Croatia forward headed in at the far post after the Wolves defence had allowed a corner to bounce in the box.

Hoffenheim only attracted 8,523 fans despite 15,075 being allowed under coronavirus rules, but those who were there were given a second half to savour.

Christoph Baumgartner netted after a flowing move midway through the second half and Pavel Kaderabek completed Hoffenheim's turnaround when he scored after a free-kick came back off the post.

Dortmund coach Rose had bad news ahead of his return to Gladbach with star Haaland and captain Marco Reus ruled out with minor injuries.

He was booed and whistled by Gladbach fans as he reached the dugout and it soon got worse for him with Denis Zakaria putting the home side ahead after a ricochet fell kindly for him.

Dortmund's Mahmoud Dahoud - another ex-Gladbacher - then saw red before half-time for two robust fouls in an ill-tempered encounter, leaving the visitors toothless for the second period where the hosts could have scored more.

Leverkusen huffed and puffed against Mainz, without Alexander Hack due to Covid-19, but eventually prevailed through a confident finish from 18-year-old Wirtz.

It was his 10th Bundesliga goal and the Germany midfielder becomes the youngest player to reach the mark having bettered the record of Lukas Podolski.

Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch, whose new side had only won one of their opening five league games, changed to a back three from a back four against the Berliners.

It seemed to work a treat with Leipzig dominating the game and taking charge after 15 minutes through a fine goal from the in-form Nkunku after he just evaded the offside trap.

The hosts, previously bossed by Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann, soon made it 2-0 on the break with Nkunku squaring for Yussuf Poulsen to score.

Hertha, who lost their opening three games before winning their last two, went further behind on half-time when Nordi Mukiele expertly volleyed home Angelino's deep free-kick.

Emil Forsberg's penalty, a perfect Nkunku free-kick and Amadou Haidara's sixth pushed Leipzig up to 10th place.

Marsch said: "It was a very good performance from us. It was the reward that we needed. Ahead of the game, I was sure that the team was absolutely ready.

"We want to take this momentum into our Champions League game against Club Brugge on Tuesday."