Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gives Dortmund a sterling start to season: Bundesliga round-up

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang of Dortmund celebrates after scoring his team's first goal against FSV Mainz on Saturday. Lars Baron / Getty

BERLIN // Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first goals of the season gave Borussia Dortmund a 2-1 win over Mainz while Schalke lost its opening Bundesliga game at Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 on Saturday.

Aubameyang, who told Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski "the race is started" after the latter's hat trick on Friday, got off the mark in the 17th minute when Andre Schuerrle produced a brilliant floated cross for the Gabon striker to head inside the far post.

The goal spurred Mainz into a response and the visitors went close — forcing Roman Buerki into action — shooting over, then drawing another save from Buerki before Dortmund recovered.

Christian Clemens missed a good chance to equalise after the break, but Aubameyang sealed the result with a penalty in the 89th after Karim Onisiwo pulled Schuerrle back.

Yoshinori Muto claimed Mainz’s consolation in injury time.

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“The result is important, especially because we weren’t in the best form on the day,” said Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, who has seen key players leave to be replaced by young talents this offseason.

Much is expected of Schalke but the side got off to a poor start in Frankfurt.

Alexander Meier’s 13th-minute strike was enough for the home team, which had already hit the post. Schalke didn’t have an attempt on goal until just before the break.

“When you start like that you shouldn’t be surprised when you leave the pitch as the loser,” Schalke sports director Christian Heidel said.

Meier should have made it 2-0 but Ralf Faehrmann saved his weak penalty effort in the second half.

Frankfurt goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky produced an outstanding save to deny Klaas Jan Huntelaar an equaliser from a clever free kick after last defender Michael Hector was sent off for bringing the Dutch striker down.

Lars Stindl scored late for Borussia Moenchengladbach to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in the evening game, where goalkeeper Bernd Leno frustrated the home side for long periods and Leverkusen hit the post and crossbar.

‘Gladbach forward Andre Hahn finally made the breakthrough just before halftime, racing through after Jonathan Tah failed to deal with Christoph Kramer’s quick free kick and slotting past Leno.

Substitute Joel Pohjanpalo equalised in the 79th, heading into the empty net after Karim Bellarabi kept the ball in play.

But Stindl secured all three points with five minutes left, sweeping the ball home after a fine ball from substitute Thorgan Hazard.

Hamburger SV could only draw with visiting Ingolstadt 1-1 despite forward Bobby Wood scoring on his Bundesliga debut.

Wood, who joined Hamburg from Union Berlin in the offseason, blasted the ball inside the right post after holding off a defender to Rene Adler’s long kick-out.

Lukas Hinterseer equalised for Ingolstadt late, leading to whistles from unhappy home supporters.

“It’s very disappointing. The fans also expected more,” Hamburg defender Matthias Ostrzolek said.

Wolfsburg won at Augsburg 2-0, and Cologne beat visiting Darmstadt 2-0 in a game interrupted by a storm in the second half.

Bayern opened its title defence with a 6-0 rout of Werder Bremen on Friday.

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