Freiburg go into the international break third in the Bundesliga on 19 points, two behind the unbeaten leaders Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, after a 2-0 home win over Union Berlin on Sunday. Further down, the weekend brought a derby win for Leverkusen, the end of Werder Bremen's run without a league defeat since matchday 1 and some relief for Hoffenheim.
1. Freiburg wait, then win
Union defended deep and did not have a shot in the first half, while their goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow kept Freiburg out, saving from Freiburg's Yuito Suzuki and clawing a header from Freiburg's Igor Matanovic off the line. The breakthrough came in the 55th minute, when Union captain Rani Khedira turned Freiburg's Jan-Niklas Beste's pass across the box into his own net. Suzuki made it 2-0 in the 67th minute, lifting the ball over Rönnow after a pass from teammate Derry Scherhant. Rönnow still saved a penalty from substitute Vincenzo Grifo late on. It was Freiburg coach Julian Schuster's first win against Union. "That was very disciplined, very mature," Schuster told Sportschau. Freiburg now lead RB Leipzig by a point. Union are 16th on seven points, the relegation play-off place. "We didn't do that well enough," Rönnow said.
2. Garcia's free kick settles the Rhine derby
Leverkusen won 2-1 at Köln after three defeats in their previous four games in all competitions. Aleix Garcia, whose attitude Leverkusen's former captain Robert Andrich had publicly questioned after the Europa League home defeat to Marseille, struck a free kick over the wall from 23 metres in the seventh minute. Patrik Schick had a goal ruled out for handball before making it 2-0 in the 85th minute, set up by Leverkusen's Ibrahim Maza. Köln's Said El Mala scored in stoppage time from a cross by his brother Malek El Mala, then criticised Leverkusen's players for going down after fouls: "That has nothing to do with football in my opinion. It's a bit ridiculous," he told DAZN. Leverkusen are fifth on 16 points; Köln, beaten at home for the first time this season, are 15th on nine and travel to Bayern on Friday 20 November.
3. Stuttgart stop Werder
Stuttgart beat Werder Bremen 1-0 on Saturday, four days after losing 2-0 at Galatasaray in the Champions League. Stuttgart's Maximilian Mittelstädt scored in the seventh minute from teammate Grischa Prömel's cross. It was Stuttgart's second league win in a row and Werder's first league defeat since a 4-1 loss at Freiburg on the opening matchday. Niclas Füllkrug, still the league's top scorer with nine goals, was kept quiet by Stuttgart defender Jeff Chabot and booked after an aerial duel. Stuttgart goalkeeper Dennis Seimen, 20, saved from Werder's Youri Regeer early in the second half. "It was important to go into the international break with a win," Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß said. Werder are sixth on 15 points, Stuttgart eighth on 12.
4. Hoffenheim hold on, Schalke fear for Gosens
Hoffenheim beat Schalke 2-1 on Sunday evening to end a run of three competitive games without a win. Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius's pass struck Hoffenheim striker Fisnik Asllani and went in after ten minutes, and Asllani then set up teammate Tim Lemperle for the second. Schalke's Junior Adamu pulled one back in the 81st minute, the first goal by one of their strikers this season. Early in the second half Karius and his Schalke teammate Robin Gosens collided and both had to come off. "We fear a serious knee injury for Robin," Schalke coach Miron Muslic said. Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer called it a hard-fought win. Hoffenheim are ninth on 12 points; Schalke are 17th on six, two ahead of last-placed Gladbach, and host Stuttgart on 21 November.
