The first weekend of the 2013/14 Bundesliga season ended in entertaining fashion as Mainz got off to a winning start, while Schalke came from behind twice to draw 3-3 with Hamburg on Sunday.
Schalke and HSV produced nine goals across their two league fixtures last season, and there were six more in their first meeting this term in Gelsenkirchen. Jens Keller’s hosts got off to a great start as just two minutes in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar drove into the bottom corner from outside the area. Rafael van der Vaart’s penalty drew Hamburg level before Maximilian Beister headed the visitors ahead.
Huntelaar hit his second for the Champions League play-off contenders on the stroke of half-time, but they fell behind once again courtesy of Lasse Sobiech. However, Ádám Szalai, a summer signing from Mainz, got the equaliser in the 72nd minute.
Stuttgart finished a point above Mainz in 12th last season, but came out second best on Sunday. Nicolai Müller put the hosts ahead early on, but the lead lasted just two minutes as Vedad Ibišević levelled. Shinji Okazaki restored Mainz’s lead after the break before Müller got his second, meaning Martin Harnik’s late strike could not earn Stuttgart a point.
