Comeback win sees Cologne claim surprise second

Cologne's impressive start to the season continued on Saturday when they went second in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 comeback win at home to Hamburg.

Wolfsburg moved to the top of the table on Friday with a 3-0 win at home to Schalke without Manchester City-bound Kevin de Bruyne, but Cologne claimed second after gleaning seven points from their opening three games.

After ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lewis Holtby put Hamburg ahead early in the second half, Cologne levelled through Philipp Hosiner on 76 minutes, but the game turned on a dubious red card and penalty.

Hamburg's ex-Bosnia captain Emir Spahic was sent off after getting the slightest of touches on Cologne striker Anthony Modeste on 79 minutes.

The Frenchman gratefully drilled home the resulting penalty to the fury of the visitors' bench.

Japan striker Yoshinori Muto warmed-up for his country's World Cup qualifier on Thursday with his first two Bundesliga goals in Mainz's 3-0 win over Hanover.

Muto is one of six German league professionals Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic has called up for Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Saitama.
The 23-year-old opened his account on just his third Bundesliga appearance as national team-mate Hiroki Sakai started at right-back for Hanover.

Muto put Mainz ahead when he fired a pass from Spanish midfielder Jairo in off the post on 15 minutes, then doubled his tally on 29 minutes when he headed home from a corner.

Mainz added a third when centre-forward Yunus Malli finished off a sweeping counter-attack just after the break -- the win lifting Mainz up to fifth.

Socceroos forward Mathew Leckie also scored his first goal in Ingolstadt's 1-0 win at Bavarian rivals Augsburg, which moved them up to seventh following a second win in three games at the start of their debut season in Germany's top flight.

The 24-year-old left winger, who has won 25 caps for Australia, curled a superb shot inside the left-hand post, which gave Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz no chance on 63 minutes.

Ten-man Stuttgart are bottom after a 4-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt as Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton was sent off for the hosts.

Stuttgart fell behind when Czech defender Adam Hlousek scored an own-goal after 11 minutes before Daniel Didavi levelled with half an hour gone.

Dutch striker Luc Castaignos put Frankfurt 2-1 up at the break before Tyton's dismissal for bringing down the former on 67 minutes.

Haris Seferovic converted the penalty and Castaignos claimed his second with his team's fourth on 87 minutes.

Darmstadt are 11th after their third straight draw following a goalless effort at home to Hoffenheim.

Borussia Dortmund can reclaim top spot when they host Hertha Berlin on Sunday while defending champions Bayern Munich are at home to fellow Champions League side Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday night.
Source: AFP