Patrik Schick scored a hat trick and injury-hit Bayer Leverkusen overcame a scare before beating Heidenheim 5-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
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 and set up Niklas Dorsch to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Mathias Honsak surged past three Leverkusen defenders and shot inside the far post to make it 2-0 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 goal 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.
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.
Host Borussia Dortmund beat Freiburg 4-0. The visitors finished the game with nine players.
Stuttgart enjoyed a 2-0 win over Bochum and Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0.
Eintracht Frankfurt hosted Werder Bremen later Saturday.
