Julian Schieber (4th l.) was surrounded by his Hertha Berlin team-mates after giving them the lead against SV Werder Bremen with his first goal in 19 games, but even his second was not enough for all three points
Julian Schieber (4th l.) was surrounded by his Hertha Berlin team-mates after giving them the lead against SV Werder Bremen with his first goal in 19 games, but even his second was not enough for all three points

Wins for Hoffenheim and Frankfurt, Hertha held

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Cologne - TSG1899 Hoffenheim moved to the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 win over FC Augsburg, while Eintracht Frankfurt were also winners on the opening day and Hertha Berlin were held by SV Werder Bremen.

1899 Hoffenheim 2-0 FC AugsburgAdam Szalai and Tarik Elyounoussi grabbed the goals as 1899 Hoffenheim recorded a 2-0 win over FC Augsburg.Sven Schipplock's five strikes in the first round of the DFB Cup last weekend were not enough to earn him a starting berth, but Roberto Firmino was back in the fold. It was another of Markus Gisdol's attacking options who netted their first Bundesliga goal of the season, though, with Szalai scoring from close range as Augsburg struggled to clear their lines.

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Sharp up front, solid at the back


The dust had barely settled when the hosts struck again. One of the sweeping attacks which they patented last season allowed Firmino to tee up Elyounoussi, who slid the ball past Marwin Hitz for his first Hoffenheim goal.

Augsburg, still reeling from defeat in the DFB Cup last weekend, tried to respond in the second half, but Hoffenheim would not be breached. They locked up at the back and showed they can also stay resolute in defence, which will come as a welcome boost to a side that shipped 70 goals last season.

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 SC Freiburg


Haris Seferovic gave Thomas Schaaf an ideal start to life as Eintracht Frankfurt coach with the only goal of the game against SC Freiburg.

The Swiss beat his compatriot Roman Bürki with a neat finish 15 minutes in, for not just his first goal in German football but also his third against the new Freiburg custodian - his only two Swiss Super League goals for former club Neuchatel Xamax FC both came against the then Grasshopper Club keeper.

Freiburg's efforts unrewarded


The goal came somewhat against the run of play with Freiburg looking the more lively and adventurous, but apart from a Jonathan Schmid effort, they had rarely threatened Kevin Trapp's goal.

That was the story of the second half too with Frankfurt happy to soak up the pressure. Trapp did well to deny Schmid again before he thwarted Switzerland's World Cup star Admir Mehmedi. The energy tanks started to empty, however, with Frankfurt wasting the last chance of the game through Johannes Flum, who perhaps did not want to do his former side any further damage four minutes from time.

Hertha Berlin 2-2 SV Werder Bremen


Hertha Berlin squandered a two-goal advantage as they were held to a 2-2 draw by SV Werder Bremen at the Olympiastadion. Julian Schieber's brace was not enough for the hosts, as Assani Lukimya and Franco Di Santo hit back with two goals in as many second-half minutes.

Bremen coach Robin Dutt picked Lukimya and Luca Caldirola at the heart of his defence, perhaps unaware that the last time they played together - in December 2013 - Bremen ended up losing 3-2 to today's opponents. They fell behind on Berlin's first attack, too, Roy Beerens' cross being headed in at the far post by Schieber with the aid of a slight deflection.

Schieber at the double


It was the former Borussia Dortmund forward's first goal for his new club, and his first since April 2013, a drought of 18 games. The shackles seemed thus to have been shaken off the former VfB Stuttgart man, and his team, as the shots rained in from the hosts - ten in the first half, more than in any opening 45 minutes last season.

It was not long before Schieber and Berlin had a second, Nico Schulz's cross looping invitingly goalwards via a Lukimya deflection, allowing the 25-year-old to tuck in from point-blank range. Bremen's response was exemplary, though. Lukimya made immediate amends by touching in a free-kick in with his back, before Di Santo nodded in from close range to earn the visitors an unlikely point.