Elversberg’s Cole Campbell celebrates after scoring throughout a Bundesliga soccer match. Picture: AFP
BERLIN:
Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg kick-started their first top-flight marketing campaign in model, gorgeous 2023-24 champions Bayer Leverkusen in a dominant 3-2 residence victory, whereas Borussia Dortmund beat Hamburg in Saturday’s late recreation.
Lukas Petkov and American striker Cole Campbell scored inside 60 seconds of one another to place Elversberg 2-0 up earlier than the 10-minute mark.
David Mokwa added one other early within the second half. Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick and Christian Kofane scored late, nevertheless it was not sufficient to stop a well-known victory for the minnows.
Elversberg has a inhabitants of simply 13,000, making it the smallest city ever to have a German top-flight aspect.
Simply 9,307 followers had been capable of watch the shock win within the membership’s residence floor, which remains to be below building.
“It is an indescribable day,” Elversberg captain Lukas Pinckert informed Sky.
“We labored laborious to earn the correct to play on this league. The victory is deserved. I’m extremely pleased with the workforce.”
Leverkusen appeared disorganised and lacked power till late, displaying coach Carles Martinez Novell has work to do after taking on in the summertime.
Dortmund sink Hamburg
Dortmund opened their season with a 2-0 residence win over Hamburg however the comfy victory was soured by a probably severe harm to spectacular debutant Giannis Konstantelias.
The Greece midfielder dazzled in his first Bundesliga recreation since arriving earlier in August, dribbling by the Hamburg defence earlier than scoring Dortmund’s second simply after the break.
Konstantelias’s aim got here after teenage countryman Konstantinos Karetsas, one other low season arrival, had arrange Dortmund’s opener for Serhou Guirassy with simply 9 minutes gone.
Halfway by the second-half, Konstantelias fell to the turf after a problem and was instantly subbed out, grabbing his left knee.
Teenage Dortmund ahead Samuele Inacio was proven straight crimson shortly after approaching for a harmful problem with 13 minutes remaining however the hosts held agency to assert victory.
“The entire prognosis will come tomorrow, however the physician informed me it does not look good,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac informed Sky.
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig cruised to a 3-0 residence win over Borussia Moenchengladbach, with former Chelsea and France ahead Christopher Nkunku organising a aim on his return to the membership.
Ridle Baku’s first-half aim got here towards the run of play for Leipzig however the hosts took management when Antonio Nusa produced a surprising, curling effort early within the second half.
Nkunku, who scored 70 objectives in a four-year spell at Leipzig earlier than his Chelsea transfer, got here on halfway by the second half and arrange a aim for former Gladbach ahead Rocco Reitz simply two minutes later.
Leipzig have been drawn to face Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid on their return to the Champions League after lacking Europe utterly final season.
Within the capital, Union Berlin got here from 3-1 down to attract 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, cancelling out Younes Ebnoutalib’s hat-trick for the guests.
Union’s Tim Skarke scored within the third minute of stoppage time to degree issues up for the hosts.
Elsewhere, substitute Thijs Dallinga bagged a double and Germany starlet Stated El Mala scored a blinding solo effort as Cologne got here from behind twice to beat Hoffenheim 3-2.
Hosts Mainz performed out a scoreless draw with promoted Paderborn.
On Friday, Bayern Munich acquired their title defence off to a blistering begin, steamrolling previous Stuttgart 5-1 in a rematch of final season’s German Cup remaining.