BERLIN (AP) — Patrik Schick scored a hat trick and injury-hit Bayer Leverkusen overcame a scare before beating Heidenheim 5-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt all won, too, but Bayern Munich remains unbeaten and already has a commanding lead with just under a third of the season played.
Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeneß promised the club's fans last week that the title will be returning to Munich after last season's trophy-less aberration.
And it's hard to argue with the 72-year-old former Bayern president with Frankfurt his team's closest challenger, six points behind. Leipzig is eight points back, Leverkusen nine, and Dortmund 10 after 11 games played so far.
Leverkusen's injuries grow
Leverkusen announced before kickoff that Jonas Hofmann will be out for the rest of the year with a right thigh injury from training, adding to an injury list including Victor Boniface, Amine Adli and Nordi Mukiele.
Heidenheim then stunned the defending champions when Marvin Pieringer won the ball from Piero Hincapie for Niklas Dorsch to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Mathias Honsak surged past three Leverkusen defenders and shot inside the far post 11 minutes later.
Exequiel Palacios pulled one back in the 30th, two minutes before Schick equalized with a deft chip over the Heidenheim goalkeeper. Florian Wirtz crossed for Schick’s second in the 52nd and substitute Arthur crossed for his hat trick in the 71st.
Granit Xhaka completed the scoring before celebrating by sucking his thumb and making a baby gesture.
Leverkusen's injury concerns increased with Jeremie Frimpong limping off before the break and Martin Terrier going off late with an apparent hand injury.
Dortmund eases pressure on coach before AGM
Dortmund beat visiting Freiburg 4-0, easing the pressure on Nuri Sahin after four league defeats already this season. The visitors finished the game with nine players.
Dortmund was without Serhou Guirassy because of illness.
Before the match, Freiburg fans had protested against the home team’s sponsor, the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, with banners referring to the company with an expletive, and another saying, “No war on people, war on the federations!”
The sponsorship deal is set to be a major topic at Dortmund's AGM on Sunday.
Götze decisive in his 100th Frankfurt game
Mario Götze scored on his 100th Frankfurt appearance in a 1-0 win over visiting Werder Bremen.
The German midfielder rifled the ball in before the break after a good layoff from Hugo Ekitiké.
Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush worked hard but was unable to add to his 11 league goals so far this season.
Ilzer off to a winning start at Hoffenheim
Jacob Bruun Larsen scored late for Hoffenheim to beat Leipzig 4-3 in coach Christian Ilzer's debut. Ilzer‘s team came from behind three times to prevail.
It's Leipzig's fourth straight game without a win and third away defeat in a row.
Stuttgart enjoyed a 2-0 win over Bochum, and Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press
