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August 17, 2009

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Wolfsburg returns to top but Bayern held again

GERMAN champion VfL Wolfsburg surged back from a goal down to beat FC Cologne 3-1 on Saturday to stay top of the Bundesliga after two matches.

Wolfsburg fell behind when Fabrice Ehret scored four minutes into the second half. However, two goals in two minutes from Edin Dzeko and Pierre Wome (own-goal) and a third by new signing Obafemi Martins three minutes from time gave the visitors six points from two games.

Cologne, with Lukas Podolski making his first home appearance after a three-year spell with Bayern Munich, had to survive intense pressure after Ehret put it ahead.

Striker Dzeko, though, equalized when he was left unmarked to slide in a cross on 73 minutes. Wome then headed in before Martins, signed from Newcastle United, combined well with Grafite to make it 3-1.

Bayern needed a second-half goal from the Bundesliga's most expensive signing Mario Gomez to salvage a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.

Bremen stunned Bayern in the 39th minute when Mesut Ozil converted an Aaron Hunt cross.

Gomez, who joined from VfB Stuttgart in May for around 30 million euros (US$42.83 million), rescued the home team 18 minutes from time when he beat keeper Tim Wiese to connect with a cross from the right by Philipp Lahm.

Bayern, which drew with Hoffenheim last week, has yet to win under new coach Louis van Gaal.

"I am not satisfied with the result but I am with my team," said the Dutchman. "We played outstanding for 30 minutes but failed to score (in that time)."

Hamburg SV struck three times in the first 12 minutes on the way to a 4-1 drubbing of Borussia Dortmund while Stuttgart beat Freiburg 4-2.

In France, defending champion Bordeaux extended its record winning streak in the French league to 13 with a 3-2 victory at Sochaux on Saturday, with Marouane Chamakh scoring twice with headers.

Olympique Lyon, which had started the season with a 2-2 draw at Le Mans, bounced back with a 1-0 home win over Valenciennes thanks to a goal from Bafetimbi Gomis.

Nancy went top on goal difference after a 4-0 thrashing of Monaco.



 

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