AFP, BERLIN: Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg opened their new league campaign with a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday as all three goals came in the opening 20 minutes. Dieter Hecking’s side, who finished 10 points behind champions Bayern Munich last season, flew out of the blocks at the Volkswagen Arena with Croatia winger Ivan Perisic and Dutch striker Bas Dost putting them 2-0 up.
Later, VfB Stuttgart lost 3-1 at home to Cologne as Anthony Modeste converted a second-half penalty and Simon Zoller doubled the visitors’ lead two minutes later before Stuttgart’s Daniel Didavi netted a late spot-kick. Japan striker Yuya Osako came off the bench to claim Cologne’s third goal. Earlier, Bayer Leverkusen had warmed up for their Champions League play-off clash at Lazio on Tuesday with a 2-1 comeback win against Hoffenheim.