Bayern Munich opened their German league campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win at newly promoted Greuther Fuerth on Saturday on the opening weekend of the Bundesliga's 50th season.
Fuerth were making their Bundesliga debut and held their famous Bavarian neighbours for most of the first half until their defence finally cracked as goals from Thomas Mueller, Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben secured the win.
With half-time looming, new Bayern signing Dante headed down from a corner and although Fuerth defender Heinrich Schmidtgal cleared off the line, Germany star Mueller was on hand to stab home.
Bayern doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Robben attacked the Fuerth defence on the right and after his shot was parried by Max Gruen, Mandzukic was on hand to head home and make it 2-0.
Since signing from Wolfsburg, the Croatia striker has scored four goals in three games for Bayern, including two in Monday's 4-0 German Cup first-round win at Jahn Regensburg.
Robben claimed the third 12 minutes from time with a spectacular shot from the left side of the goal that curled inside the near post from a tight angle.
Borussia Moenchengladbach responded after their home defeat by Dynamo Kiev in Tuesday's Champions League play-off first leg with a 2-1 victory at home to Hoffenheim.
Striker Mike Hanke headed home on 33 minutes, only for Hoffenheim's Roberto Firmino to equalise with a header on 66 minutes, but Gladbach's Venezuela midfielder Juan Arango unleashed a spectacular free-kick on 79 minutes to claim the points.
Hamburg's season got off to a bad start with a 1-0 defeat at home to Nuremberg, whose new signing Hanno Balitsch, freshly arrived from Leverkusen, grabbed the winner 22 minutes from time.
Nuremberg goalkeeper and captain Raphael Schaefer must take some credit for the three points with a series of fine saves, especially to deny Hamburg captain Heiko Westermann's header 18 minutes from time.
Striker Dani Schahin had an afternoon to remember with both second-half goals for newly promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf in their 2-0 win at Augburg.
The 23-year-old spent most of last season on the bench at Fuerth, but he got his new club's Bundesliga campaign off to a flying start with two well-taken goals.
In the afternoon's other game, Freiburg were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Mainz.
On Saturday evening, Eintracht Frankfurt host Bayer Leverkusen, while Stuttgart are at home to Wolfsburg and Schalke are home to Hanover on Sunday.
On Friday, defending champions Borussia Dortmund kicked off the new campaign with a 2-1 home win over Werder Bremen thanks to goals from Germany stars Marco Reus and Mario Goetze.
Source: AFP
