Wolfsburg, Schalke crash

Wolfsburg playmaker Diego marked his return to the Bundesliga yesterday with a goal in his side’s shock 4-3 defeat to Mainz, while Schalke also crashed at home to Hanover.

After an unproductive season with Juventus, Diego joined Wolfsburg on a four-year deal for a fee of €15.5 million on Friday and the former Werder Bremen man showed his class with a well-taken goal against Mainz.

But Wolfsburg coach Steve McClaren, the former England boss, was left unimpressed as his side squandered a 3-0 lead and three points.

Edin Dzeko, last season’s top-scorer in Germany, scored twice early on against Mainz before Diego netted the homes side’s third.

But Mainz fought their way back into the game by scoring either side of half-time through Denmark striker Morten Rasmussen and Colombia midfielder Elkin Soto.

Andre Schuerrle equalised in the 58th minute with Adam Szalai netting five minutes from time to complete McClaren’s misery as his side capitulated.

Last season’s runners-up Schalke were shocked 2-1 at home to Hanover, with defender Konstantin Rausch and striker Mohammed Abdellaoue scoring either side of half-time as the Royal Blues suffered their second consecutive defeat.

Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones scored a consolation with a header in the last ten minutes.

Hamburg had to come from behind to win 3-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt as Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen scored a 61st-minute equaliser to spare his side’s blushes before Ruud van Nistelrooy claimed his third goal in two games.

Peruvian Jose Paolo Guerrero netted in the 89th minute to seal the three points for Hamburg.

Bremen bounced back from their hammering on the opening day of the season against Hoffenheim when they beat Cologne 4-1, while Freiburg beat Nuremberg 2-1 after coming from behind thanks to two goals by Senegal striker Demba Cisse.

Fixtures

Today
B. Leverkusen vs B. M’Gladbach - 15.30
Stuttgart vs B. Dortmund - 17.30