Leverkusen stumble in Ten Hag Bundesliga debut

Bayer Leverkusen let a one-goal lead slip to lose 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim in new coach Erik Ten Hag’s Bundesliga debut on Saturday.

Taking over from Xabi Alonso in the summer and overseeing a radically restructured side after several high-profile exits, the former Manchester United manager cut a frustrated figure on the sideline. 

Leverkusen hit the lead after six minutes when Jarell Quansah, who arrived from Liverpool this summer, headed in a Alex Grimaldo free kick. 

Hoffenheim, who finished just one spot above the relegation placings last season, levelled with 25 minutes played, Fisnik Asllani taking advantage of a defensive error from Quansah. 

Tim Lemperle put the visitors ahead after 52 minutes. He was given too much time by Leverkusen’s defence and skidded a low shot across the grass and into the corner.

Leverkusen lost just three league games in the past two seasons, but there would be no late heroics. The defeat showed the scale of the rebuild Ten Hag has on his hands. 

Eintracht Frankfurt proved they still know their way to goal without departed striker Hugo Ekitike, thumping Werder Bremen 4-1 at home, Jean-Matteo Bahoya scoring a brace before half-time. 

Now at Liverpool, Ekitike scored 15 and added eight assists in the league last season, but youngsters Bahoya, Can Uzun and Ansgar Knauff all scored for the home side in a dominant victory. 

Bremen pulled one back through Justin Njinmah in the second half but rarely troubled the hosts. 

German Cup holders Stuttgart were beaten by Union Berlin, who won 2-1 thanks to a first-half double from debutant Ilyas Ansah. 

Back in Berlin for the first time since winning the cup final in May, Stuttgart hit the woodwork twice and had a stoppage-time equaliser to Nick Woltemade ruled out for offside.

Elsewhere, Augsburg won 3-1 at Freiburg and Wolfsburg won by the same scoreline at Heidenheim. 

On Friday, defending champions Bayern Munich exploded in their season opener, beating RB Leipzig 6-0 at home, with Harry Kane scoring a second-half hat trick. 

Later on Saturday, Borussia Dortmund start their Bundesliga campaign away at St Pauli.