Germany round-up: Business as usual for Bayern

FC Bayern München started the defence of their German title with a comfortable 3-1 victory against promoted Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.

Zé Roberto opens scoring
The Bundesliga season opener was as one-sided as expected, Bayern showing their class from the off. The Bayern fans packing the Olympiastadion watched their team take the lead on 16 minutes with a low drive from the edge of the box by Brazilian midfield player Zé Roberto. Hasan Salihamidzic doubled the advantage with a header from a free-kick four minutes later and Peru striker Claudio Pizarro added a third three minutes from the break, also with a header.

Few chances
With the issue beyond doubt, Bayern slowed down in the second half and their visitors reduced the arrears, Albania midfielder Ervin Skela scoring from a free-kick in the 68th minute. However Eintracht showed little on the night and had to wait 60 minutes for a real scoring chance, Skela rattling the crossbar from a free-kick.

Dortmund fightback
On Saturday, BV Borussia Dortmund recovered from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw away to local rivals FC Schalke 04. Goals either side of half time from Schalke's Turkish midfield player Hamit Altintop put the home side in control.

Late drama
However, Dortmund struck back almost immediately, new signing Flavio Conceição reducing the deficit against the run of play with a free-kick. In an eventful last minute, Marco Amoroso equalised for Dortmund, before Schalke midfield player Gerald Asamoah was dismissed for a foul on the Brazilian striker.

Opening success
Two goals in three first-half minutes, from Ailton and French playmaker Johan Micoud, put SV Werder Bremen in command away to Hertha BSC Berlin, with the Brazilian striker sealing a comfortable victory with a third midway through the second period.

Impressive victory
Bayer 04 Leverkusen also secured an impressive victory, taking the lead after 17 minutes at home to SC Freiburg through Robson Ponte. Although the newly-promoted visitors equalised within three minutes through Sascha Riether, Leverkusen led 3-1 by half-time thanks to further strikes from Lucio and Juan, and a second-half goal from Oliver Neuville wrapped up the win.

Wolfsburg win
VfL Wolfsburg established an early two-goal lead at home to VfL Bochum 1848 thanks to Pablo Thiam and Diego Klimowicz, but strikes from Peter Madsen and Frank Fahrenhorst brought the visitors back into the game before the break, only for Martin Petrov to score the Wolfsburg winner 15 minutes from time.

Away wins
Markus Schroth scored the only goal of TSV 1860 München's visit to 1.FC Kaiserslautern, with Bill Tchato dismissed for the home team, while goals from Jiri Stajner, Thomas Brdaric and Mohammadou Idrissou gave Hannover 96 a 3-0 win at Hamburger SV.

Sunday action
On Sunday, last season's runners-up VfB Stuttgart began with a 2-0 win at FC Hansa Rostock, with Hugarian striker Imre Szabics scoring twice in two minutes in the final 15 minutes to seal a winning start. Meanwhile, VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach were 1-0 winners at home to 1.FC Köln, who had Moses Sichone dismissed in the 61st minute and just a minute later an own goal from Köln midfield player Matthias Scherz settled the match.