Leverkusen beats Hoffenheim 4-1 to get back on track in Bundesliga

SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — Victor Boniface scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen beat Hoffenheim 4-1 to rebound from a rare Bundesliga…

SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — Victor Boniface scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen beat Hoffenheim 4-1 to rebound from a rare Bundesliga loss, but Leipzig dropped points for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw with Union Berlin on Saturday.

Ahead of playing Feyenoord in its Champions League opener on Thursday, Leverkusen got back to winning ways after a 3-2 loss to Leipzig in its last game. That was the first time Xabi Alonso’s title-winning team had lost in the Bundesliga for 15 months.

Boniface set up Martin Terrier for Leverkusen’s first goal and scored himself soon after, beating defender Alexander Prass and leaving him sprawled on the ground and he scored past goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

Leverkusen’s three games in the league this season have seen a combined 15 goals scored, in part because of lapses in concentration in defense that have frustrated coach Alonso.

Mergim Berisha’s goal for Hoffenheim in the 37th minute cut Leverkusen’s lead to 2-1 and Alonso’s team nearly conceded another soon after. However, Leverkusen took control again after the break and a penalty from Florian Wirtz and another goal from Boniface ensured a 4-1 win.

It was the first time Boniface had scored twice in a game since an adductor muscle injury ruled the Nigerian striker out of much of the second half of last season as Leverkusen won the title.

Keeper denies Leipzig

Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow frustrated Leipzig in a goalless draw, saving a penalty from Loïs Openda and a stoppage-time free kick from David Raum. Leipzig created few clear chances in a subdued performance ahead of Thursday’s Champions League visit to Atletico Madrid.

Both teams were without their head coaches as Leipzig’s Marco Rose was suspended following a red card against Leverkusen and Union’s Bo Svensson was ill.

New signing Ermedin Demirovic scored twice as Stuttgart — which visits Real Madrid on Tuesday — beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1. Gladbach’s Alassane Plea went off injured after colliding with goalkeeper Alexander Nübel while scoring his team’s only goal.

Eintracht Frankfurt beat Wolfsburg 2-1 thanks to two goals from Omar Marmoush. Junior Adamu scored twice in three minutes to give Freiburg a comeback 2-1 win over Bochum.

Bayern Munich visits promoted Holstein Kiel later Saturday.

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