Hamburg SV thrice came from behind to salvage a 3-3 draw at home to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday, maintaining Bert van Marwijk’s unbeaten start as coach.
“When there are six goals it’s always fantastic for the fans but the coaches will be annoyed because there were so many mistakes,” said Stuttgart sports director Fredi Bobic.
The visitors took a three-minute lead through Alexandru Maxim’s fine strike before Tolgay Arslan set up Pierre-Michel Lasogga to equalize in the 22nd after a mistake from William Kvist.
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Stuttgart reclaimed the lead 15 minutes later when Christian Gentner got his head to Maxim’s dangerous free kick, only for Maximilian Beister to score in the 55th with Arslan again involved.
Rafael van der Vaart, Jonathan Tah and Beister all came close for Hamburg, but then Vedad Ibisevic forced Johan Djourou into an own goal against the run of play in the 64th.
“It was a very crazy game,” Maxim said.
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Beister set up Van der Vaart to equalize for the third time three minutes later, ensuring fellow Dutchman Van Marwijk is undefeated after three games in charge, though Hamburg remains just one place above the relegation zone.
Stuttgart defender Antonio Ruediger was sent off late on for punching Van der Vaart in the stomach.
“We were jostling, I pushed back, he punched me. That was that,” said Van der Vaart, who collapsed as if seriously wounded.
Wolfsburg came from behind to snatch a 2-1 win at Augsburg in the late game.
Tobias Werner gave the home side a deserved lead in the 10th, scoring from a rebound after Halil Altintop and Matthias Ostrzolek’s initial efforts were saved by Diego Benaglio.
Werner should have scored again minutes later but miscued his shot with only the goalkeeper to beat from close range, and he missed another chance, as did Altintop, before Maximilian Arnold equalized with a long-range effort in the 35th.
Then Luiz Gustavo was left unmarked to meet Ricardo Rodriguez’ free kick for his first Wolfsburg goal in the 42 minute. The Brazilian’s last goal was also against Augsburg, in May, while playing for Bayern Munich.
Augsburg pushed hard for an equalizer in a gritty second half but the visitors held on for their first away win of the season.