Stuttgart Win 4-2 at Leverkusen, Fullkrug Equals Voller Record

VfB Stuttgart won 4-2 at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, the result of the Bundesliga day, while Werder Bremen beat Hoffenheim 2-0 as Niclas Fullkrug scored in a seventh straight start to equal a club record held by Rudi Voller.

Stuttgart's scorers at Leverkusen were Ermedin Demirovic in the 14th and 65th minutes, Jamie Leweling in the 22nd minute and Bilal El Khannouss in the 51st minute. Patrik Schick scored for Leverkusen in the 28th minute and Ibrahim Maza added their second in the 79th minute. Stuttgart led 2-0 inside 22 minutes, Schick replied, and El Khannouss restored the cushion at 51 minutes before Demirovic scored his second.

Stuttgart hand Leverkusen a first home loss

Leverkusen had not lost at home this season before this game. That run is over, and the manner of the defeat matters. Stuttgart scored twice early, answered straight back after Schick's goal with El Khannouss's strike, and never let Leverkusen build the kind of pressure that has saved them in other games.

Back to back defeats now drop Leverkusen to sixth place on 13 points. For Stuttgart, a 4-2 away win is a statement result, built on early goals and a clear response each time Leverkusen threatened to come back. Maza's goal in the 79th minute came too late to change the outcome.

Fullkrug equals Voller's Bremen record

Werder Bremen beat Hoffenheim 2-0. Niclas Fullkrug scored in the 57th minute, with the assist credited to goalkeeper Karl Hein, and Eren Dinkci added the second in the 82nd minute.

Fullkrug's goal was his ninth league goal of the season. He has now scored in seven straight starts, a run that equals Rudi Voller's club record at Werder. Scoring runs like this change how opponents defend a team. Hoffenheim had to watch Fullkrug on every cross and every long ball, including the one from their own goalkeeper's opposite number that set up the opener.

Werder are unbeaten in seven games and move up to fifth place on 15 points. A team that defends its lead and has a striker in this form is hard to play against, and Bremen showed both sides of that game here.

Leipzig win at Schalke, Freiburg win at Augsburg

RB Leipzig won 2-0 at Schalke 04. Antonio Nusa scored a penalty in the 37th minute and Romulo added the second in the 78th minute, assisted by Nusa. Romulo also had a goal disallowed. The win gives Leipzig their first away points of the season and lifts them to fourth place. Promoted Schalke are still scoreless at home this season, a home record that explains their trouble.

Freiburg won 2-1 at Augsburg. Michael Gregoritsch put Augsburg ahead in the 18th minute, Igor Matanovic levelled in the 65th minute, and Ismael Irie headed in a Vincenzo Grifo cross in the 85th minute, minutes after coming on. Two Freiburg substitutes turned the game, and Freiburg stay third on 16 points.

Borussia Monchengladbach drew 0-0 with Paderborn in the day's other game.

What it means for the table

Freiburg stay third on 16 points, Leipzig rise to fourth, Werder climb to fifth on 15 points and Leverkusen fall to sixth on 13 points after a first home loss of the season. Stuttgart's win was the day's biggest result because it moved the teams around them as much as it helped their own position.

Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund was still in play at the time of writing and is covered separately.