Stuttgart and Wolfsburg off to flying starts

VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg were the big winners as the opening weekend of the Bundesliga continued with FC Augsburg recording a 2-2 draw on their debut in the German top flight.

Champions Borussia Dortmund kicked proceedings off on Friday with a 3-1 win against Hamburger SV, yet Stuttgart and Wolfsburg went one better by putting three without reply past their opponents. Cacau (37), Martin Harnik (57) and substitute Shinji Okazaki (89) were on target as Stuttgart put FC Schalke 04 to the sword, while Patrick Helmes scored twice as the Wolves eased past ten-man 1. FC Köln, who had Milivoje Novakovič sent off ten minutes from time.

Back from a loan spell last season at Real Racing Club, Markus Rosenberg scored twice as SV Werder Bremen defeated 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2-0. Augsburg, meanwhile, were grateful to Sascha Mölders for his 81st-minute equaliser which salvaged last term's 2. Bundesliga runners-up a 2-2 draw against SC Freiburg, who had twice led.

Hannover 96 − who finished fourth in 2010/11 − prevailed 2-1 against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, while Hertha BSC Berlin, who won promotion back to the Bundesliga at the first attempt, were defeated 1-0 by visiting 1. FC Nürnberg in the late game.