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The season is still young, but one thing is clear: Leverkusen can score goals. After being stymied for 50 minutes by a defensive-minded club from the capital, the Pharmaceuticals put in four to keep their record perfect.
At home against Hertha Berlin, Leverkusen were looking to build on their opening-round win against Dortmund . But they had no luck in the first half as the visitors played with a five-man back line. Instead it was Hertha who had the good fortune, being gifted a lead by a Tin Jedvaj own goal in minute 24.
Five minutes after the break, the young Croatian made up for his blunder with an equalizer. Leverkusen pressed, but Hertha retook the lead when Bernd Leno failed to control a cross on the hour mark, and the ball dropped onto Julian Schieber's head.
Leverkusen stayed positive, though, and got a second equalizer only two minutes later. Emir Spahic headed in a Hakan Calhanoglu free kick. And fifteen minutes from time, Julian Brandt put the hosts ahead, after a mazy run by the fleet-footed Karim Bellarabi.
And Bellarabi completed the 4-2 scoreline with a strike two minutes from time. It was a convincing performance by the Pharmaceuticals, who won by a two-goal margin for the second week in a row.
Paderborn book historic win
Most pundits think minnows Paderborn's first Bundesliga season will also be their last for a while. But the underdogs are off to an undefeated start and notched up their first-ever top flight win with a 3-0 victory in Hamburg.
It was a deserved result. Elias Kachunga may have been millimeters offside when he put the visitors ahead after half an hour. But shortly thereafter, he was wrongly flagged for a headed goal that would have made it 2-0. As it stood, the underdogs only went into half-time with a single goal lead.
No matter. In minute 68, Mario Vrancic doubled Paderborn's advantage, keeping his cool and rounding keeper Rene Adler after a woefully misplaced Artjom Rudnevs pass. Hamburg were coming apart at the seams defensively, and by the time Moritz Stoppelkamp scored Paderborn's third in the dying minutes, the home arena was beginning to empty.
The result shows that Paderborn are no pushovers, while Hamburg seem as if they're facing another long season after almost getting relegated last May.
Lots of goals elsewhere
In the remaining matches, newly promoted Cologne picked up their first season win with a 2-0 victory in Stuttgart. Yuya Osako and Anthony Ujah scored the goals in the first half against a listless Southern German side.
Wolfsburg and Frankfurt split the points with a 2-2 draw. The Volkswagen factory team went ahead twice only to see their guests from the southwest manage a pair of equalizers.
Hoffenheim also drew in Bremen. The visitors, fancied by many to be this season's dark horse, jumped out to the lead on a Roberto Firmino in minute 20. But Alejandro Galvez drew Bremen level, and the match ended 1-1.
In Saturday's most eagerly awaited clash Schalke host Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
On Friday, Dortmund opened their Bundesliga account this season, surviving a late comeback and booking a 3-2 win in Augsburg.
On Sunday Mainz host Hanover, while Freiburg lock horns with Gladbach.
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