Bundesliga hits 100-goal mark following spectacular weekend of entertainment
There were goals galore again on Matchday 3 as Victor Boniface ran riot, Bayern Munich gave a title-winning 101 of a performance and Xavi Simons shone once more for Leipzig.
bundesliga.com looks back at five stand-out moments from a weekend that brought with it goals by the bucket load...
1. Goals Galore
Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-4 Augsburg, Leverkusen 5-1 Darmstadt, VfB Stuttgart 5-0 Freiburg – these are just some of the huge scorelines we have seen this campaign after just three matchdays. The first 27 matches have produced an incredible 100 strikes, which is 14 more than last term’s 86 in as many matchdays.
The Bundesliga has often been the place to come for goals, with the German top flight regularly topping the charts amongst Europe’s top five divisions in terms of goals per game. Unsurprisingly, it leads the way once more this campaign, as goalkeepers have been beaten a net-busting 3.7 times per encounter. In fact, there has yet to be a scoreless draw this season to date!
Watch: Marco Rose - "The Bundesliga's a pretty cool league"
The most goals scored by all clubs in a single season came in 1983/84, when the scoreboard operators were troubled on a record 1,097 occasions. That works out at 3.58 goals per fixture and, while there is still a long way to go this time around, we are currently on pace to surpass that monumental number. However, the omens are good, with this term being the first since 1984/85 that we've hit triple figures after only three Matchdays. Back then, the Bundesliga superstars managed 109 goals after three weeks.
2. Boniface on fire
It must be fun being a Leverkusen fan right now. After three matches, Die Werkself have maximum points, with their latest victory the aforementioned mauling of newly-promoted Darmstadt. There have been suggestions in the past few weeks that Xabi Alonso’s men could challenge for the title and, based on these recent showings, you wouldn’t bet against them.
Versus Darmstadt, Boniface was particularly dangerous. He displayed almost everything you could wish for in a centre-forward as he scored twice and assisted another at the BayArena – wonderful trickery, pace and composure for his first strike, quick feet and pinpoint finishing for the second, and good link-up play as he found Jonas Hofmann on the edge of the box before the Germany international netted his side’s fourth.
Watch: Boniface on fire in 5-1 win over Darmstadt - highlights
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This was the 22-year-old’s second brace in as many weeks and, with five goals to his name already in all competitions, he seems to be a perfect fit for the Bundesliga. Harry Kane’s switch to Bayern Munich may have attracted the most headlines during the transfer window, but the England captain is in danger of being upstaged by Leverkusen’s Nigerian star.
3. BVB toil
There are no easy games in the Bundesliga, but Heidenheim’s visit to the Signal Iduna Park is as close to a banker as Edin Terzic can hope to expect this campaign. After all, FCH came into the clash without a point amongst the elite in their history, albeit having only played two games, while Die Schwarzgelben had won 12 of their previous 13 home league matches.
They appeared to be on their way to another victory, too, as efforts from Julian Brandt and Emre Can gave Dortmund a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes. However, the hosts struggled to control proceedings despite their advantage, and ultimately dropped two points as their guests battled back to earn a 2-2 draw.
Watch: Emre Can calls for togetherness
BVB, of course, were within one goal of the Meisterschale in May and, while they may have lost key player Jude Bellingham during the transfer window, this season’s objective remains to end it at the league’s summit. However, they already trail league-leaders Leverkusen and perennial rivals Bayern by four points, and their performances in recent weeks have left a lot to be desired.
The capture of Niclas Füllkrug gives Terzic extra firepower, and he may well need it if Dortmund are to end Bayern’s 11-year Bundesliga grip.
4. Beware the Bayern
Bayern came from behind to beat bogey team Gladbach on Saturday night, with Mathys Tel climbing off the bench to grab his side a late winner which took a great deal of toil to achieve.
This was a title-winning 101 of a performance from Bayern, getting the win despite conceding first and not quite being at their purring best. After all, it is in these fixtures that titles are so often won and lost, when sides are able to pull something from the fire just as it appears to be going out.
Watch: Müller praises Sane and Tel after Gladbach win
That Kane wasn't able to contribute, yet Bayern still had the firepower to get over the line will come as great optimism from the Allianz Arena faithful moving forward, with the form of Leroy Sane particularly impressive and so too Tel's ability to make a telling contribution from the bench.
All of this will appear ominous to Bayern's title challengers, though they should take Gladbach's performance as an encouraging sign that this team may be the ones to beat, but they are beatable.
5) Xavi Simons conjures more Leipzig magic
What a campaign Die Roten Bullen's recent loan signing from Paris Saint-Germain is having. It's now two goals and three assists for the 20-year-old after another star-studded performance, this time at Union Berlin's home fortress, where Marco Rose's men ran out 3-0 winners.
Watch: Leipzig and Xavi on fire in Berlin
The hosts were unbeaten in the Bundesliga for a year and a half at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei before Leipzig rolled into town on Sunday. A tough, closely-fought game needed a spark to get going, and how Xavi provided it. A sumptuous strike from a rolling pass inside the D flew into the top corner and the Irons' resolve was finally broken.
Union - previously the Bundesliga leaders - then had Kevin Volland sent off as the game opened up. Xavi's intelligent, defence-splitting pass allowed Benjamin Sesko to skip through and net his first goal in Germany's top division and the Slovenian would subsequently add a second following some lovely interplay with Dani Olmo before the end. Yet it was Xavi who stole the headlines with the Amsterdam native already an unmissable addition to a cracking, goal-filled Bundesliga campaign so far.
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