Arsenal loanee
Hoffenheim dominated the opening hour of the contest, establishing a commanding 2-0 lead through goals from Leon Avdullahu and Tim Lemperle by the 54th minute. However, the momentum shifted decisively as Dortmund found their rhythm, with Nwaneri—who joined on a season-long loan from Arsenal on deadline day—entering the fray as a substitute after 30 minutes.
Nwaneri influence seals dramatic turnaround
The visitors sparked their revival just after the hour mark when Serhou Guirassy found the back of the net. Guirassy then turned provider five minutes later, setting up Fabio Silva to level the scores. With the match hanging in the balance, Nwaneri took centre stage in the 86th minute. The teenager drove down the left flank and fired a shot toward the centre, which took a significant deflection off Hoffenheim defender Albian Hajdari to secure the winning goal.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac praised the youngster's contribution following the match, noting that while the goal was not officially credited to Nwaneri, his involvement was the catalyst for the result. Kovac described the team's approach as an all-or-nothing effort, which ultimately forced the opposition to concede space as the game reached its conclusion.
Bundesliga action across the league
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, newly promoted
Bayer Leverkusen recovered from their opening-day defeat by securing a dominant 4-0 win against Union Berlin. Equi Fernandez and Facundo Medina provided a two-goal cushion by the break, with Patrik Schick and Ibrahim Maza adding to the tally in the second half. Meanwhile, Werder Bremen defeated RB Leipzig 3-1, featuring a long-range header from Niclas Fuellkrug, and Freiburg maintained their perfect start with a 1-0 win over Paderborn.
