Stuttgart Stumbles At Freiburg And Leipzig Prevails Against Bochum In Bundesliga Openers

Bundesliga runner-up Stuttgart started the new season with a 3-1 loss at Freiburg, while Leipzig survived a sending off to beat Bochum 1-0 on Saturday.

Ermedin Demirović fired Stuttgart into an early lead at his former club with a scissors-kick in the second minute, but that was as good as it good for Sebastian Hoeneß’ team, which amassed a club-record points total last season.

Freiburg, which was playing its first league game since long-serving coach Christian Streich’s retirement, responded with three goals to give new coach Julian Schuster a winning start.

Bochum was unable to capitalize on Leipzig captain Willi Orban’s late sending off for denying Myron Boadu a clear goal chance. The 19-year-old Antonio Nusa’s second-half strike on his Bundesliga debut was enough for Leipzig.

Holstein Kiel endured a tough welcome to the league in a 3-2 loss at Hoffenheim, where the promoted side conceded an early penalty and had a player sent off late.

Augsburg drew with Werder Bremen 2-2, and Mainz held Union Berlin 1-1.

Borussia Dortmund was hosting Eintracht Frankfurt later, when the home fans had protests planned against their club’s sponsorship deal with an arms manufacturer. Nuri Sahin was also making his Bundesliga debut as Dortmund coach.