15:30 Kickoffs: Frankfurt dominant in home win, Stuttgart and Mainz share spoils in six-goal-thriller

In the battle of the Bundesliga's two 2024/24 Europa League participants, Dino Toppmöller's Eintracht Frankfurt have overcome a placid performance away at Dortmund last week and come alive to shake their season into a higher gear. Before a raucous home crowd at Deutsche-Bank-Park a new attacking trident featuring Omar Marmoush, Mario Götze, and Hugo Ekitiké delivered a very impressive performance against visiting TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. All three SGE attackers got their names on the scoresheet. Hoffenheim, after beating Kiel last week, have lost their first match of the season. Following today's result, Andrej Kramaric remains the only player to score for the Sinsheimers this season. 

Toppmöller made just one change to the team that furnished a highly disappointing performance against Dortmund last week. Niels Nkounkou replaced Fares Chaibi in the starting XI. The lone personnel change nevertheless heralded a major tactical shift. New summer signing Rasmussen Kristensen moved forward to work opposite Nkounkou as a right wingback. Kristensen's fellow new summer arrival Arthur Theate slid back to work in a back-three alongside Robin Koch and Tuta. Götze worked in the attacking trident behind Ekitiké and next to Marmoush. 

TSG trainer Matarazzo too had just one personnel change to make. As it so happened, the American gaffer's one was forced. Florian Grillitsch found himself unable to play due to muscular issues. Former German youth international Dennis Geiger took over for his Austrian teammate. Grischa Prömel moved back to help his younger compatriot out. Adam Hlozek and Marius Bülter also moved behind last week's "hat tick hero" Kramaric. As a result, both teams lined up in a 3-4-3. 

Toppmöller's revamped tactic immediately produced brisk, creative, and entertaining football. The Hessian hosts dominated possession throughout most of the opening quarter-of-an-hour, still missing many highlight-worthy scoring chances by virtue of the fact that the Sinsheimers sat deep and remained organized. Ekitiké finally broke through and hit the side netting in the 16th. Eintracht's French forward would officially find the back of the net on the 24th-minute 1-0. Ekitiké polished off a fine SGE counterattack with a cheeky hook-touch and finish. 

Marmoush - who had set up Ekitiké's goal - nearly doubled the advantage two minutes later, but shot wide of the mark in the 26th. In the 33rd, it was Ekitiké's turn to serve as provider on the 2-0. Marmoush was once again in the build up. Ekitiké once again employed some slick touches in the box before sending a nifty ball through TSG defender Kevin Akpoguma's legs and onto the boot of the onrushing Hugo Larsson. Marmloush nearly recorded a third goal on the final play before the end of the half. 

Matarazzo rteaceted to the 0-2 half-time deficit by introducing Mërgim Berisha and Robin Hranac for Bülter and defender Tim Drexler. Matters could only improve after the Rhine-Neckar guests only racked up a 0.04 xG on the stat sheet. The two changes nonetheless didn't really affect the one-way traffic until Hoffenheim pulled a goal back against the run-of-play in the 54th. Hlozek took advantage of some lax marking on the half-right to set up none other than Kramaric on the 1-2. 

The SGE response was swift. Just two minutes later, Ekitiké cleverly drew coverage to allow Götze to set up the richly deserving Marmoush to net the 3-1 in the 56th. Both teams seemed largely consigned to the result after Marmoush restored the advantage. Waves of substitutions and the oppressive Hessen heat didn't help the tempo of the match much either. A largely rhythmless and slower affair crawled to an uneventful finish. SGE sub Igor Matanovic came closest to helping Eintracht cap the dominant match with another goal six minutes from time.  

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga's 15:30 kickoffs, there was a six-goal cracker thriller between VfB Stuttgart and FSV Mainz 05 at the MHP-Arena in the Baden-Württemberg capital. Sebastian Hoeneß' hosting Swabians rushed out to a 2-0 lead against Bo Henriksen's Rheinhessen. Mainz nevertheless fought back and drew level with two goals of their own. Just when it appeared as if Mainz's incredible (dating back to last season) unbeaten run would be extended to twelve matches, Stuttgart stuck back late just before the end of normal time. 

The VfB hero off a free kick was none other than 22-year-old Fabian Rieder. The summer loan signing - just like surprise starting center back Anrie Chase - only just made his Bundesliga debut last week. Mainz were simply not to be outdone when it came to a storybook finish. Young German center back Maxim Leitsch - who has had his own share of struggles through his professional career - netted a 3-3 equalizer at 90+4. Mainz's streak was ultimately extended, but not without controversy. There were appeals for a handball penalty at the end. 

VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach were both able to prevail over their respective opponents Holstein Kiel and VfL Bochum by 2-0 socrelines. VfL skipper Maximilian Arnold registered a goal and an assist in his side's win while new BMG addition Tim Kleindienst managed a goal and assist as the Fohlenelf took three points from their trip to the Ruhrstadion. There would unfortunately not be anyone who got their name on the scoresheet in Dortmund's 0-0 draw with Bremen. Nuri Sahin's BVB played the final quarter-of-an-hour with ten-men, but Bremen couldn't break through in the scoreless stalemate.