Bundesliga Matchday Four Recap

Matchday four of the Bundesliga commenced with VfB Stuttgart triumphing over St. Pauli with a score of 2-0 on Friday evening. The action continued on Saturday as eight teams competed in various fixtures.

Bayern Munich’s European Adventure

Bayern Munich was the sole team engaged in European competition earlier in the week, having secured a 3-1 victory against Chelsea. They next faced Hoffenheim in Sinsheim, while Augsburg welcomed Mainz. Hamburg squared off against Heidenheim in what seemed to be a crucial matchup for relegation, and Werder Bremen went head-to-head with Freiburg.

Key Takeaways from Matchday Four

Harry Kane Flourishes in Musiala’s Absence

In Bayern’s emphatic 4-1 conquest over Hoffenheim, Harry Kane netted his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick. He opened the scoring from a corner kick in the first half, and followed up with two second-half penalties to complete his hat-trick. This marked his second hat-trick of the season, having previously scored in the season opener against RB Leipzig.

The absence of Jamal Musiala early this season has allowed Kane to fully showcase his abilities. With Musiala sidelined, Serge Gnabry has partnered with Michael Olise and Luis Diaz. Gnabry’s playing style, which doesn’t typically involve dropping deep for the ball, has given Kane the opportunity to come back further into play. The direct approach of both Diaz and Gnabry complements this strategy, making it effective for Bayern.

It’ll be intriguing to see how this dynamic shifts when Musiala re-joins the squad and regains his form later this season.

Dominik Kohr’s Disciplinary Record

While not officially the dirtiest player in Bundesliga history yet, Dominik Kohr is statistically on his way there. According to transfermarkt, he holds the second-highest points tally (awarded for yellow and red cards) in Bundesliga history, trailing only Steffen Effenberg. His recent red card during Mainz’s 4-1 victory over Augsburg brings him within 10 points of Effenberg. At just 31 years old, he has a strong chance of surpassing this record during the current season. Furthermore, Kohr’s sending off has tied him for the record of most red cards in league history, alongside Jens Nowotny and Luiz Gustavo.

In the match itself, Mainz showcased a dominant performance over Augsburg, initially struggling to find the net from open play until Arminido Sieb scored in the 14th minute. Kohr then added a second before Paul Nebel and Sieb pushed the tally to 4-0. Samuel Essende managed a consolation goal for Augsburg, ending the match at 4-1.

Augsburg has also made an interesting aesthetic change, branding their tunnel like a Roman colosseum, a nod to the city’s history which dates back to 15 BC.

Hamburg Celebrates Their First Bundesliga Win

It’s often said that you wait for a bus, and then two arrive at once—a sentiment that rang true for HSV. Both HSV and Borussia Mönchengladbach had yet to score this season, but HSV finally broke their scoring drought with Luka Vuskovic finding the net late in the first half.

The second half saw Rayan Phillippe extend the lead to 2-0, courtesy of an assist from Arsenal’s loanee Fabio Vieira. Despite a late resurgence from Heidenheim, Hamburg managed to secure their first victory of the season.

Given that many players on this squad lack Bundesliga experience, this win will significantly boost their confidence as they look to avoid relegation. Additionally, HSV faces a friendly fixture lineup ahead: Union Berlin (away), Mainz (home), RB Leipzig (away), and Wolfsburg (home). Points gained from any of these matches would be seen as a major achievement.